Lettuce Toss It

Do you find yourself having to toss lettuce because it's limp, dead or rotting in it's own juices in the fridge? It's a problem I encounter more often than I'd like, but not right now! Why?...because in 9b, it's lettuce growing time!  Here's what's happening in the backyard right now:

It's even prettier than the Fresh Market!  This time of year, say goodbye to your overpriced store bought brand and hello to lettuce straight from the garden!  It's cool season here in 9b and leaf lettuce is extraordinarily easy to grow and just as easy to harvest.  You don't need a whole lot to get going:

1. Seeds
2. Soil
3. Sunshine
4. Water

It sounds like a kindergarten class, but that's because it really is this easy!  The best part about having your own endless supply of lettuce in the backyard is that it's always fresh, you pick-as-needed and you never end up having it go limp in your refrigerator!

To get started, determine where you want your lettuce bed.  You can grow this in a pot.  If you're going that route, I'd recommend a plastic trough to aid in water retention.  A longer width would be good so it can be fully sown.

At our house, we have a 4x4 raised bed plot; you can kind of see the boundaries here.  It's from a kit purchased online about 3 years ago.  Knowing what I know now, I'd recommend simply making one from pre-cut pieces of lumber from your local Home Depot.  You just need it to be a box shape - don't need to over think it.  For inspiring raised beds, you can also check out these pictures here and here.

If you go down this route, you can fill these raised beds with a combo of soil; I've got Black Kow, Potting Soil and Top Soil mixed in mine.

The planting of lettuce is really easy and basic.  If you're in a raised bed, make a shallow row by making an indentation (use your hand, use a stick, whatever) carefully sow seeds along row, cover and water gently.    For a pot or trough, sprinkle seeds evenly around container, cover with dirt and water.

It doesn't take long to grow, and with leaf lettuce you have a constant supply.  I'd recommend against a head lettuce, at least down here.  Leaf lettuce is easier and you can pick it off and it will grow back.

If you're planting now in 9b, I'd also recommend that you go with a heat-tolerant variety.  Burpee has a great heatwave blend.

Best of all, home grown lettuce is the perfect thing to throw in your forgotten salad spinner!