Baby leaves

Develop a system to identify the infant, mother, father, or a designated other before the baby leaves the birthing area. Develop procedures to address discharge of the mother prior to the infant leaving the hospital. Ensure adherence to documentation procedures to follow when a mother will not receive the baby on discharge (Tables 13.17 and 13.18). 

Fine seedbeds are required for uniform emergence of baby leaf crops. This can be achieved using power harrows following discing. Baby leaves are commonly grown in beds to minimise compaction and aid harvesting. 

Baby leaves and herbs are attractive to a wide range of pests especially aphids, leaf miners, caterpillars and slugs. The contamination of the crop with insects is also a commercial issue. Seedling diseases can affect the crops such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia but the main disease is downy mildew which can lead to complete crop loss if untreated. Resistant lines are available for some of the larger volume crops like spinach but downy mildew evolves new strains rapidly and plant breeders are always playing catch up . 

Due to the small plants and short produetion eyele soil sterilisation is sometimes carried out prior to the produetion of baby leaves. Sterihsation is usually carried out using metam-sodium or dazomet (Basamid) but steam sterihsation is also used. Some growers have also experimented with mulching to suppress weeds and this can work in some situations. 

Water is very important for germination and crop uniformity. Micro-sprinklers are commonly used as they ean apply small amoimts of water frequently. Large droplet sizes can damage the fohage so fine mists are often used. The short crop cycle means that baby leaves and herbs have shallow roots 20-50cm deep. The water source used needs to be free of human pathogens that would contaminate the crop. 

Baby leaf salads are a gourmet treat when eaten on their own or mixed in with a plain green salad. If you grow your own supply of succulent leaves, you can snip off a handful whenever you want to. All you need is a window box, some packets of seeds, and potting soil. 

Martinez-Sanchez, A., Gil-lzquierdo, A., Gil, M.I., and Ferreres, F. 2008. A comparative study of flavonoid compounds, vitamin C, and antioxidant properties of baby leaf Brassicaceae species. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(7), 2330-40. doi 10.1021/jl072975+. 

Baby leaf crops will grow on most soils but frequent access to the crop is needed by machinery. Light free-draining soils are best suited to intensive production but attention to nutrition is needed as light soils may have low nutrient retention. 

Baby leaf crops are grown at high seed rates and seed cost is a significant production cost. For example spinach will be drilled at 120-140 seeds/m Crops develop quickly and can take 21-28 days from emergence to harvest. The size of the crop at harvest will dictate the market with crops grown for micro, baby and teen leaf specifications. Crops may be covered by fleece to hasten emergence at the start of the season. 

Trinidad. Hot water extract of the lead is taken orally to increase milk supply of nursing mother. On first day, the mother drinks tea of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis leaves, on the second day, she drinks tea made from olive leaves and milk, and on the third day she will be able to nurse the baby . Tunisia. Extract of the dried leaf is taken orally for diabetes and as a hypotensive . Turkey. The fruit is used externally as a skin cleanser ". 

Sphaeranthus suaveolens (Forsk) DC. Njugu ya iria (Kikuyu) L A leaf decoction is used to treat malaria and coughs Pounded leaves are used in the water for bathing water to make newborn baby skin smooth Leaves are used to treat afterbirth pains (55, 57, 48)... 

---