Two ways to sow leaf lettuce that are perfect for different harvesting methods.
For parts of the Bay Area that have hot summers, lettuce is a cool season crop: You can start seeds in late winter/early spring for a spring harvest and again in late summer/early fall for a fall harvest. (On the coast, people can often grow lettuce almost year round.)
The first is sowing seeds in a low, wide bowl
*You could also sow directly into the ground if you prefer. Renee's Garden "Heirloom Cutting Mix" are a good choice.
- Get a bowl at least 6-8 inches deep and a foot or more wide.
- Fill with moistened potting mix.
- Scatter seeds (try to get them about 1/2 inch apart), cover with 1/4 inch of soil.
- Water gently, and keep soil moist (but not soggy) in a sunny outdoor spot.
- When seedlings reach 4-5 inches tall (this usually takes around 8 weeks), use kitchen shears to harvest the top few inches of baby greens, leaving 1-2 inches at the base. These will regrow for a few more harvests.
- Fill small, sterilized pots with moistened potting mix.
- Plant one or two seeds 1/4 inch deep in the center of each pot.
- Water gently, and keep soil moist (but not soggy) in a sunny outdoor spot.
- If both seeds in a pot germinate (they usually do), clip off the weaker seedling when they reach about an inch or two tall.
- When they get reach 4-6 inches tall, transplant to a bigger pot or in the ground, spacing them a foot apart.
As they mature, harvest the outer leaves as needed (the interior will keep growing so you have a longer harvest) or wait until heads mature and harvest the whole head.
Ingredients:
- Bunch of Kale
- 1 ½ Tbsp. soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Asian Sesame Oil
-
Preparation:
- Rinse 12 ounces kale. Tear leaves into about 1-inch pieces, discarding tough ribs and veins.
- In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 1 quart water to a boil. Add kale, cover, and cook until slightly wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.
- When cool, squeeze excess liquid from kale and place in a bowl. Mix with 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil. Serve at room temperature.
- February is a great time to plant. There's still time to start crops of kale, greens, beets, carrots and a few other things for a spring harvest; you can also start thinking about starting seeds for summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, cukes, eggplants.
- Growing edibles is one of the hottest trends of the spring/summer and more people than ever are heading to the garden to grow their own food. Everyone from apartment dwellers who grow in pots to the first family are doing it!
- It might still feel like winter, but it is not too early to get your edible gardens started. In fact, if you planted in fall, it's also time to harvest some gorgeous kales, greens, and root vegetables.
Sunset's Planting Tips:
She is the associate garden editor and test garden manager for Sunset magazine. She writes regularly about growing edibles, small-space gardening, outdoor decorating, and low maintenance landscapes. An avid do-it-yourselfer, she loves helping new gardeners get started.
About Sunset Magazine
Sunset magazine is the premier guide to life in the West, covering the newest and best ideas in Western home design and landscaping, food and entertaining, and regional travel in 13 Western states.
Sunset and sunset.com are part of the Lifestyle group of magazines and websites published by Time Inc., the largest magazine publisher in the U.S., and a leading publisher in the U.K. and Mexico.
For more information, visit www.sunset.com
About Sunset Western Garden Book
Sunset Western Garden Book is the essential guide to gardening in the West. It is the proven, reliable, expert reference for growing plants and gardens in the Western states.
As the go-to guide for any backyard gardening topic, it belongs on every gardener's bookshelf. The 8th edition (published in 2007) incorporated several top gardening trends for today's home gardener, including food gardening.
About Sunset Books
Sunset Books is a leading publisher of how-to books on cooking, gardening, travel, home improvement, and outdoor living. For more than 70 years, Sunset has been the source for no-nonsense gardening advice, easy-to-follow diagrams, and encyclopedic knowledge of plant varieties.
For more information, visit www.oxmoorhouse.com
>> Buy this book on Amazon: Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits - Rinse 12 ounces kale. Tear leaves into about 1-inch pieces, discarding tough ribs and veins.
