Monday, March 29, 2010

The Inadvertent Lettuce Bed

I know what you're thinking. No, I didn't build another garden bed....but I will next week. Two, as a matter of fact. No, this is something else entirely.

My neighbor came over a few weeks ago enquiring if I would help him with a garden. I made him some lettuce and cabbage starts and called yesterday to say they were ready to go in the ground. Problem was, he never built his garden, so in my garden they went. Thinning seedlings is one thing, but these were bonified plants by this time and I couldn't just toss them.

I had one of my 3x3 boxes that I was saving for an early squash plant, so I threw them in there and I'll start the squash inside and transplant it later.
I didn't transplant the cabbage as I don't have room for it to mature before they'd have to come out, but I haven't thrown the plants out, either. I'm thinking to go dig up a spot in the vacant lot across the street and just see how they do in the bare ground.

So, I have one more lettuce bed. I wish there was some other way to preserve the lettuce harvest as come a few more weeks I'm going to be swimming in lettuce. I'll give as much to my neighbor as he can take, but there's still going to be more. An overly plentiful harvest is a good problem to have.

The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

9 comments:

  1. Those lettuce seedlings look excellent! I have slugs putting holes in my spinach. I was going to use sluggo this year but never got any. I guess I will have to share again with the bugs :-)

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  2. Oh, now I understand what you meant when you said you couldn't waste the lettuce plants. No, you have no choice but to plant them. They look good and you will have lots of lettuce really soon.

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  3. So, you're gonna grow lettuce for the neighbor? that's nice, and you get more boxes in the process...hehe. I hope you're enjoying the literature!

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  4. OH NO!!! I just rejected three comments. JenGC and Erin's. I'm so sorry. Erin's posted twice and I tried to reject the one and they were all rejected. I feel foolish.

    Jen, have you tried to grow them at a different time or with less or more sun? I find my lettuce does best with only 5 hours of sun.

    Erin, my toms have been outside for weeks with lows in the low 40's. I know it's not optimal, but they seem to be doing well. I'm hoping they'll be good and hardy.

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  5. The lettuces look very good. I am envious. The weather here is still poor, we've just had more snow.

    You my not be able to preserve the lettuce, but another way to use it up is perhaps by making a lettuce quiche and lettuce soup. Both delicious! Honestly!

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  6. Lettuce quiche? Seriously? I've heard of spinach ones, but wouldn't the lettuce get too soggy?

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  7. Ribbit, that's good to know about the tomatoes - mine are taking over my house and I am running out of lights for the bigger ones, I think I will go ahead and start taking them outside for their light!

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  8. Is there a charity in your area that takes garden food (if the neighbors can't eat it all and and you've had all the lettuce quiche you can stand :) ? At my garden we have collection boxes every Saturday for extra produce to go to a local soup kitchen.

    I love the idea of taking over the lot across from your house! Do it!

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  9. Not that I know of, but it's worth checking into. I can also just put any extras in the faculty mailbox area. I'm sure someone will take some.

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