Abstract
Leafy greens are an ideal crop for the urban environment, given their shallow roots, short growing time, and high nutritional value. Yields of greens and their nutritional value can, however, be affected by the production system used and nutrient management practices. The purpose of this study was to explore two different types of urban agriculture production systems (raised beds and container plots) and four nutrient management treatments (conventional fertilizer, organic fertilizer, peat and compost plus organic fertilizer, and peat and compost only) to determine their impact on the yields of relay cropped leafy greens. Lettuce, arugula, mizuna, mustard greens, chard, kale, and spinach were planted in succession through the growing seasons of 2018 and 2019 and the amount of time it took to harvest, total yield, and marketable yield were measured. Significant differences between growing systems and among nutrient management strategies were few and inconsistent across measured harvest metrics and the crops observed. Results suggest that small plastic pool containers are a suitable container for urban production of greens. This study also tentatively supports the use of organic fertilizers and compost as a nutrient source in urban agriculture, as some greens responded favorably to organic fertilizers and the use of compost. The effects of nutrient management treatments may have been obscured by high insect pressure and the unusual weather patterns that took place during the study, which affected some crops more than others. Further research should refine the use of small plastic pools for relay cropping greens and optimize the order in which greens are grown in succession.