Chiot's Run » Lettuce

Lettuce Love

Susy — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:12:47 +0000

My lettuce is loving this weather (and so am I). I’m looking forward to salad all fall with this patch and another one.

I have to put a fence around my lettuce or the rabbits mow it down, but that’s ok. Next year I’m considering putting up an electric fence around the back yard to keep all the critters out, but until then my little make-shift fences work.

Anyone have any great tips to keep the rabbits & groundhogs out of the lettuce patch?

Bring on the Salad Bowl

Susy — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:39:14 +0000

A few weeks ago I ordered some lettuce seeds. I started them on the 23 of July. I put them in the basement where it’s cool (lettuce likes cool weather). A couple days later they germinated and then under the grow lights they went. This is what they looked like on July 27th.
I can’t believe how quickly these seedlings grew. I think the secret this time was the Dr Earth Starter Fertilizer that I added to my seed starting mix. From now I’ll be using this with all my seeds.

Today the seedlings went outside on the back deck to get ready for planting in the garden. They’ll stay there a couple days to get used to the sun & wind.

So what kinds of lettuce do I have for our late summer & fall salad bowl?

Black Seeded Simpson

Green Jericho Romaine Lettuce

Simpson Elite Lettuce

Red Sails Lettuce

I also started some Red Ruby cabbage for the fall.

The spinach seeds I started haven’t germinated much yet. I have one that’s just starting to emerge.

I can’t wait for all these salads.

Another Harvest

Susy — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:39:50 +0000

Last Wednesday I picked most of the broccoli and most of the lettuce. I also picked some lime basil and made some Lime Basil Vinaigrette. We had a decent amount of both, enough for a few meals.

Little Lettuce Seedling

Susy — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:50:37 +0000

The little lettuce seedlings have gotten their first set of true leaves. You can already tell what color of lettuce it’s going to be.

Today’s Harvest

Susy — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:11:51 +0000

This morning I harvested some lettuce, beet greens, and nasturtiums for a salad for lunch. I’ll probably make some lemon vinaigrette and top the salad with almonds and a few local strawberries.

I also harvested my first head of broccoli, it looked like it was going to start to flower so I decided it was time to harvest. I’m not sure what kind of broccoli it is, I bought a packet of seeds at the local hardware this spring for 5 cents and it didn’t give a name. I steamed the broccoli and topped it with a little olive oil, garlic salt and some freshly ground pepper.

Little Lettuce Seedlings

Susy — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:51:22 +0000

The lettuce seeds that I started in Monday (June 16) were up by Thursday. They were down in the cool of the basement to help with germination. As soon as they sprouted, out to the garage they went under the growlights. I’m hoping they will be ready to plant in the garden in a week or two. This cool weather in Ohio is extending the life of the lettuce that’s still in the garden. I guess that means fewer days with store bought lettuce!

What’s in the Garden?

Susy — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:21:12 +0000

What’s in the edible garden this year?

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Beets (Detroit & Little Chicago)
Tomatoes (Viva Italia & Lemon Boy)
Squash (Butterbush, Ghost Rider Pumpkin & Zucchini)
Peppers
Herbs (Dill, Italian Parsley, Coriander, Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Mint, Oregano, Genovese Basil, Lime Basil, Stevia, Sage, and Rosemary)
Centennial Sweet Potatoes
Kennebec Potatoes
Strawberries (Sparkle, Earlyglow, Allstar)
Blueberries (Bluecrop, Northland, Reka)
Short & Sweet Carrots
Red & Yellow Onions
Lettuce (Buttercrunch, Red Oakleaf, Mesclum)

Planting More Lettuce

Susy — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:25:03 +0000

This morning I planted some more lettuce seeds. They are in the basement where it’s cool for quicker germination, I also put the seeds in the fridge for a couple days to cool them off. I wanted to do succession planting this spring, but I’ve had too many other gardening chores this year so that didn’t happen. I know they won’t be up & ready before we eat the last of our lettuce that’s in the garden, but hopefully we’ll be enjoying them later this summer.

What kinds of lettuce did I start?
Arugula
Butter May Lettuce
Mesclum Mix