Your Favorite Lettuce - Page 13

Worth1 · January 24, 2016

Right now I am eating a big ole romaine lettuce heart, a giant thick slice of sweet onion with a sprinkle of sugar black pepper and walnut oil and red wine vinegar drizzled on it.

Worth

Worth1 · February 27, 2016

Man this took me awhile to find again I went past it the first time.
I planted Romain Black Seeded Simpson and Limestone.
The stinking snails will not leave Black Seeded Simpson alone.
They pass up everything else and go to it I have lost 100's of them.
It has turned out to be no more than a trap crop for me.

They dont want anything to do with Limestone or butter head lettuce.

Worth

oakley · February 27, 2016

Snail bait crop, lol. I've got more 'fool ya' crops than food crops.
"here's some sunflowers you pesky deer" (outside the garden)

Once my garden settled after 5 or so years, i've got 'who's eating who' going on.

The snake nest scares the crap out of me, the bunnies are under check, that huge snapper turtle shows up once or twice a year...

I got smarty and bought a roll of copper flashing and cut the roll into strips on the table saw...tacked all around my salad bed...then realized it had a protective coating, lol.
Copper works on slugs and snails and i have un-coated strips but this stuff was thinner and easier to work with, but , duh, coated will not work. (kinda pretty though, haha)

Yak54 · February 27, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

I like red oak leaf, but it's not the easiest or fastest to grow.

+1 for red oak leaf, and Oak leaf's in general !

Gardeneer · February 27, 2016

Just 3 days ago I sowed my favorite lettuce : BIBB.
Now the tray in the cold frame. It is a bit warmer in there to help sprout.
I will plant some more later to stagger. Here in PNW we can grow lettuce almost all season.
Next, I will sow some cukes. Then my favorite salad mix (tomato, lettuce, cucumber) will be complete. I can use some store bought red onions too. hehe

Father'sDaughter · February 27, 2016

I went through all my lettuce seeds this year and sorted them by the recommended growing season for each. I am going to try succession planting to keep lettuce in the garden right through the season.

I usually do great with lettuce in the spring and then when the summer crop fails, I get frustrated and give up. This year I made sure I had a few varieties that are supposed to do well in the summer - Sweetie Baby, Lollo Bionda, Helvius Romaine, and Loma French Crisp. Fingers crossed.

oakley · February 27, 2016

Just found a pic. In the NorthEast or similar climate a shade frame will keep lettuce going all season...Cuts the sun down 50%. And slows down soil evaporation.

maybe not clear but you can see one tossed aside...I use them for germination as well all season to keep things moist. I have salad when others think it is not possible.

I did build a dozen for my BIL in SCarolina that scoffed at me but found them useful for extending his season. (a market gardener college professor needs money guy)

Bulldog · February 27, 2016

I like your shade frame. Will shade cloth also work?

I like Parris island cos romaine, it anddrunken woman, red sails, rouge dhiver, and winter density over wintered for me with row cover when below freezing. Merveille de four seasons is lovely, black seeded Simpson were not happy with the cold/wet, but did well in the fall/spring.

oakley · February 27, 2016

i'm a bit elder now so not so tidy...or care, lol...the black tubing is cheap! and it is a frame for remay early bug-ish-ness. The light row cover material. It does help for covering early stuff, doubled up. in case of a late frost...

..."I like your shade frame. Will shade cloth also work?"

Sure, but a solid frame in the hot July heat is just good solid shade and allows air flow, even better if a solid kick-as* rain storm hits, it is solid to the ground and diverts all that hard rain...a new row or two of fresh salad seed is spared. As well as half sun...i get half hard rain.

MI Dawn · March 3, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by oakley

i'm a bit elder now so not so tidy...or care, lol...the black tubing is cheap! and it is a frame for remay early bug-ish-ness. The light row cover material. It does help for covering early stuff, doubled up. in case of a late frost...

..."I like your shade frame. Will shade cloth also work?"

Sure, but a solid frame in the hot July heat is just good solid shade and allows air flow, even better if a solid kick-as* rain storm hits, it is solid to the ground and diverts all that hard rain...a new row or two of fresh salad seed is spared. As well as half sun...i get half hard rain.

Love your wood shade covering. I'm gonna have my hubby build me some.

You're right about that black plastic tubing being cheap - we actually used some to build a greenhouse attached to our house years back. Put some EMT in part for reinforcing and held up with pvc. Kind of cobbled together but built a 10x14 for under $200. Now we build from top rail fence pipe or EMT. Almost as cheap but lasts longer.

Your lettuce looks lovely. Can't wait for all this snow to melt and spring to come! I'm thinking I need to start some lettuce asap so I can put some in containers in the hoophouse so I can have me some real salad soon.

My favorite lettuce is Forellenschluss. Super flavorful, crisp and handles heat well. I'm also partial to deer tongue and oakleaf, especially any of Frank Morton's varieties. The man is a genius with creating beautiful, delicious greens.

BackyardFarm · March 3, 2016

*throws hands into the air*

You T-villians are terrible. I've gone and bought 12 more kinds of lettuce to try out...and there are still more for next year's list.

We're going to be eating so much lettuce this year....

(Not that is a bad thing...except when my husband looks at the seeds and goes: why so many?)

BackyardFarm · March 3, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

I went through all my lettuce seeds this year and sorted them by the recommended growing season for each. I am going to try succession planting to keep lettuce in the garden right through the season.

I usually do great with lettuce in the spring and then when the summer crop fails, I get frustrated and give up. This year I made sure I had a few varieties that are supposed to do well in the summer - Sweetie Baby, Lollo Bionda, Helvius Romaine, and Loma French Crisp. Fingers crossed.

I've spent the winter reading and re-reading my gardening books. I have the year round gardener, four season harvest (and i will get winter harvest by elliot coleman later this month)

I'm going to try succession planting too!

And darn it. I'm going to have to order two more lettuce. For summer planting.

imp · March 3, 2016

One of the best places I have found for ordering some of the basic ( and not so basic, they are carrying a LOT of heirloom tomatoes this year!) is E & R Seeds. You can often buy up to an ounce of seed for what you pay for a packet other places.

Bad side, they are Amish and only do snail mail. They are fast and efficient though.

March 4, 2016

I have high hopes for Jericho this year, due to its heat and drought tolerance. I tried Cimmaron and Merlot last year, but they didn't get enough water or something. No lettuce. Only a few inches tall. They probably had too much shade, though.

BackyardFarm · March 4, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Cilantro is a cool crop...
It will bolt before you can say "AH" !When you cook it or dry it, the flavor will be gone, similar to Basil.

Gardeneer

With Basil and Cilantro I puree it with a bit of water or olive oil (depends on the use) and freeze it in ice cube trays for later in the year. Put the cubes into a plastic freezer bag and thaw in a bowl/mug as needed, voila, you have "fresh" herbs for salsa, for scrambled eggs, and to add to sauce last minute etc. The ones in oil you can use to cook things with or make dressing.

January 24, 2016	#181
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Right now I am eating a big ole romaine lettuce heart, a giant thick slice of sweet onion with a sprinkle of sugar black pepper and walnut oil and red wine vinegar drizzled on it. Worth

February 27, 2016	#182
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Man this took me awhile to find again I went past it the first time. I planted Romain Black Seeded Simpson and Limestone. The stinking snails will not leave Black Seeded Simpson alone. They pass up everything else and go to it I have lost 100's of them. It has turned out to be no more than a trap crop for me. They dont want anything to do with Limestone or butter head lettuce. Worth

February 27, 2016	#183
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	Snail bait crop, lol. I've got more 'fool ya' crops than food crops. "here's some sunflowers you pesky deer" (outside the garden) Once my garden settled after 5 or so years, i've got 'who's eating who' going on. The snake nest scares the crap out of me, the bunnies are under check, that huge snapper turtle shows up once or twice a year... I got smarty and bought a roll of copper flashing and cut the roll into strips on the table saw...tacked all around my salad bed...then realized it had a protective coating, lol. Copper works on slugs and snails and i have un-coated strips but this stuff was thinner and easier to work with, but , duh, coated will not work. (kinda pretty though, haha)

February 27, 2016	#185
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,909	Just 3 days ago I sowed my favorite lettuce : BIBB. Now the tray in the cold frame. It is a bit warmer in there to help sprout. I will plant some more later to stagger. Here in PNW we can grow lettuce almost all season. Next, I will sow some cukes. Then my favorite salad mix (tomato, lettuce, cucumber) will be complete. I can use some store bought red onions too. hehe

February 27, 2016	#186
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	I went through all my lettuce seeds this year and sorted them by the recommended growing season for each. I am going to try succession planting to keep lettuce in the garden right through the season. I usually do great with lettuce in the spring and then when the summer crop fails, I get frustrated and give up. This year I made sure I had a few varieties that are supposed to do well in the summer - Sweetie Baby, Lollo Bionda, Helvius Romaine, and Loma French Crisp. Fingers crossed.

February 27, 2016	#188
Bulldog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Georgia Posts: 126	I like your shade frame. Will shade cloth also work? I like Parris island cos romaine, it anddrunken woman, red sails, rouge dhiver, and winter density over wintered for me with row cover when below freezing. Merveille de four seasons is lovely, black seeded Simpson were not happy with the cold/wet, but did well in the fall/spring.

February 27, 2016	#189
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	i'm a bit elder now so not so tidy...or care, lol...the black tubing is cheap! and it is a frame for remay early bug-ish-ness. The light row cover material. It does help for covering early stuff, doubled up. in case of a late frost... ..."I like your shade frame. Will shade cloth also work?" Sure, but a solid frame in the hot July heat is just good solid shade and allows air flow, even better if a solid kick-as* rain storm hits, it is solid to the ground and diverts all that hard rain...a new row or two of fresh salad seed is spared. As well as half sun...i get half hard rain.

March 3, 2016	#191
BackyardFarm Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Wisconsin, zone 4b Posts: 360	throws hands into the air You T-villians are terrible. I've gone and bought 12 more kinds of lettuce to try out...and there are still more for next year's list. We're going to be eating so much lettuce this year.... (Not that is a bad thing...except when my husband looks at the seeds and goes: why so many?)

March 3, 2016	#193
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	One of the best places I have found for ordering some of the basic ( and not so basic, they are carrying a LOT of heirloom tomatoes this year!) is E & R Seeds. You can often buy up to an ounce of seed for what you pay for a packet other places. Bad side, they are Amish and only do snail mail. They are fast and efficient though.

March 4, 2016	#194
shule1 Guest Posts: n/a	I have high hopes for Jericho this year, due to its heat and drought tolerance. I tried Cimmaron and Merlot last year, but they didn't get enough water or something. No lettuce. Only a few inches tall. They probably had too much shade, though.