I've got a small garden going this year for the first time, and have planted leaf lettuce that has been going fine. I was wondering since the lettuce is starting to bolt, can I plant something in this space at this time of year? What would do well? I've got peppers growing around the lettuce now so whatever I plant needs to like some light shade. The space I'm talking about is only about 2' by 6'. I'm in zone 6a.
Large leaf basil, if you think a tomato and lettuce sandwich was good wait until you do tomato and basil with bacon or gorgonzola . It grows fast in the warmth.
any fall green. collard, beets, more lettuce, kale, pak choi, whatever you like.
Priscilla
That would be a great idea except that I already have some growing in a flat next to my back porch! Any other ideas?
Wouldn't that be a bit big considering I've already got peppers growing in there too?
PatK expounded:
How about.....more lettuce? I'm about to replant mine, I'll add some compost (after pulling the roots) and seed in some new lettuce. I'll shade the bed a bit to get things going and have lots of fresh lettuce when the first tomatoes come in.
it is late for bush beans in zone 6. plant something that is ready in
50 days, as I suggested.it is late for bush beans in zone 6. plant something that is ready in
50 days, as I suggested.
This is about when my mother would put in her second planting of beans in zone 5!
Priscilla
Oh okay. I thought you weren't supposed to plant lettuce in the same place twice in a row? I remember reading that somewhere. Cool. Well, I'll try that. Thanks!
Pat
PatK expounded:
There isn't a problem for a season, I've found, but I move the planting area for next year.
Will do. Thanks again.
Plant more lettuce.
Most home gardeners think of spring as the time to plant and summer as the time to start harvesting. Lettuce takes about 60 days (longer for romaine), so when it's ready you should eat it. All. This business of taking a couple leaves off to make the plant last longer doesn't work. The lettuce eventually bolts and gets bitter.
If you have a dozen heads of lettuce that are ready to harvest and don't want to be eating nothing but lettuce for the next week, pull the plants up with the root attached. Wash the root off and put the plant in a bag with a little water on the roots and put the whole thing in the fridge. It will last a week or three there.
Better to plant lettuce every 2-3 weeks. That ensures you a continuous supply of lettuce. As a farmer, I seed lettuce every week until early August. In New England, it gets cold after September, so the lettuce takes significantly longer than 60 days. Last year I harvested my last lettuce out of the field December 21st (I covered it for the frosty nights). (That was somewhat unusual, as we had no temperatures below about 15 F before that). Note that lettuce in the field will take temperatures down to 25F without much problem, although some varieties will show some tipburn at those temperatures. Red edge lettuce seems to be more resistant to that problem (maybe because the brown edges look similar to the natural red edges).
Since lettuce doesn't like hot weather, watch your lettuce for signs of bolting (elongated heads, stretching of the stem between leaves, etc.). If you see preliminary signs, pick the lettuce (even if it's small) and store it as above or cut it up and make lettuce mix. Cut lettuce mix doesn't last in the fridge as long as heads (the cut edges start to brown), but it's edible for a week or more.
To facilitate lettuce planting, I start lettuce in very small cells (200 to a 10" x 20" flat, cells are about 3/4" square, 1" deep), one seed per cell. Since lettuce seed is hard to handle on an individual basis, I buy pelleted lettuce seed. It is basically lettuce seed with a clay coating to produce a sphere about 1/8" in diameter, something you can handle easily with your fingers. I get them in packages of 10,000, but I've seen them advertised in packages of 250, at a price not unreasonable for a home gardener. After 3-4 weeks, the roots fill the small cell so that the plant comes out easily and can be planted directly in the garden at the proper spacing (I use 12" spacing). In hot weather, germination is a problem, so as soon as I put the seeds in the cells and water them, I place the flat in a cool place (60-75 F) for 2 days, then put them outdoors. Note that when the plants start to size up, these small cells dry out quickly, so you might have to water them twice a day in hot dry weather. Once in the morning before going to work and again when coming home seems to work OK generally. When they start to dry out regularly, get them out of the cells and into the ground. The plants come out more easily if you soak the cells a half hour before pulling the plants out.
If you d> I've got a small garden going this year for the first time, and have
Thanks for the info. I think I'll plant more lettuce! Pat
How about rocket (eruca sativa)? It germinates and grows to useful size quickly, takes hot weather pretty well, and is a nice addition to the salad. The flowers aren't bad looking; and it also reseeds itself.
Rob
I've never heard of it. I'll have to do a search for it.
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