I sow leaf lettuces, swiss chard, beta greens, certain Italian chicories, several Asian greens such as mizuna, arrugula, sorrel and many other greens very heavily. If I cut leaves from them they simply return and there is no need to harvest a full head until they are mature. This is a form of French Intensive gardening which basically uses plants as mulch. It requires a higher soil fertility but is not overly taxing on fertilizers in my experience (especially if you are starting with healthy, nourished soil of good consistency. There are a variety of ways to accomplish french intensive methods and they vary depending on your climate. An example in my own garden right now is in a 4x6" bed I have a center oblisk with some peas, on either end I planted fava beans (this garden bed needs some nitrogen fixers in it) and on either side, which is narrower there are radishes. The only soil left unplanted will be in the square beneath the oblisk for now, however as the peas grow and the temps warm here it will be a very nice place for a cilantro plant or two. So I will save that spot! I have an 8x4 bed plotted out in square feet. Each square closest to the edge has a lettuce/(non heading) chicory. Each square has at least 25 seeds planted, most many more. There is a pea oblisk in the middle, and I will put arugula under it when it warms a bit (and my other arugula wants to bolt). The "center" squares are long strips of dandelion greens (really a chard) which we eat a lot of in season. This will serve as our intense bed for cutting. I have a separate bed that I will plant heading lettuces and heading chicories in. They won't be intensively planted. So there are many choices in gardening and many styles. Some people employ certain methods exclusively. During a very long spring like it seems we may have this year, I will employ various strategies to lengthen the times my cool weather crops will stay in the ground and maximize the harvest of each crop. French Intensive in the summer is harder for me because of heat - I can't under plant tomatoes with lettuces (too hot for lettuce) or employ other methods of mixing crops that are complimentary. I will do it again in the fall. In the winter when I garden under cover I need to have plants spaced so I can see if there are pests under the tents and take care of them (simply because the tents are a bit awkward to work under). I am all for taking advice, reading books and attempting experiments in small areas to see what works best for you and your garden. After a few years, you just sort of get the hang of what you and your garden and the climate will do at any given time (however, nothing is infallible and "stuff" happens some years).

Yes, just as we don't all need to look like supermodels to have happy and fulfilling lives, our vegetables don't need to look perfect to be healthy and make lots of veggies for us! :) Which isn't to say that you shouldn't be looking as closely as you are. In fact, such close scrutiny will pay off in the long run, as you learn what different insects to watch out for and how feeding damage looks compared to environmental damage. I just had the analogy pop into my head and had to share it.... And over here is my corn, Ruby Queen... So perfect, just like Heidi Klum...

I have carrots, turnips and chard from seeds all starting up now. I also have so chard that has been growing this summer, some remaining patty pans and zucchini. Some tomatoes that are struggling against a sudden onslaught of horn worms. And some zucchini seedlings that are being attacked by leaf miners at the moment. I also just planted some onion transplants. I have been able to control the hornworms by picking them off, at least thus far, one of my smallest plants has had 15 hornworms in the past week. My main approach to pests is just a spraying of spinosad, it is better than most pesticides. Right now my big thing is just crossing my fingers that my carrots tops will not get eaten, I often have most of them striped off all their leaves before they even have a chance to grow.

Good for you! It sounds like you're heading down the road to a long life of gardening :0) I do have a question for you, are you keeping a journal of your successes and what didn't do so wells? I've done this for my veggie garden and it sure helps you years down the road when you try to remember what variety of seed worked well for you and what didn't. I've found this especially helpful for tomatoes, because IMO their success depends on the type of soil you have. In my heavy clay 'Celebrity' does wonders for me, yet my mother and MIL say they don't do as well for them and have better luck with other varieties. Anyway, it's all trial and error and I'm glad your neighbor thinks you're a garden guru.......and in a couple more seasons, you will be ;0) Congrats, Laurie