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Post by reuben on Dec 21, 2018 11:00:16 GMT -5
It's not quite 2019 yet, but these were all started in September 2018 or later, and won't be harvested until 2019. This is part of my winter garden. I need to get some more leaves out and do a little weeding, but you can see most of them. The dark ones, especially Thurinus, can be hard to see, and the little green ones might get confused with the little weeds, but you get the idea. I start 2-4 seedlings in the basement every couple of weeks with a heating mat and a grow light. The basement is cool, and I take them outside to let them harden a bit whenever I can. I never start more than two of any variety at a time, so that even within a variety they're staggered by age/size. When they're big enough I transplant them outside. They grow slow due to ground temperature, but they do grow. A winter garden is definitely possible around here, and a nice homegrown salad in February is a treat.  Baby Thurinus romaine, maybe the size of your fist  Left to right: Coastal Star romaine (bolting in lower left), Red Sails, Sparx romaine, Cherokee (dark red), Simpson, Red Kitten.  Red Kitten and Red Sails  |
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Post by binnylou on Dec 21, 2018 11:04:32 GMT -5
Very nice, reuben. No pricey salads for you. |
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Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 22, 2018 0:34:36 GMT -5
Here is the lettuce getting ready to take off, along with a number of other greens and herbs. Here is that lettuce that I don't know the name of, as it was in a mix, but it was the absolute longest growing in '17, and again in 18, so both times I saved the seeds, which I had never done before with lettuce (and now I know why!).  IMG_20181220_145119253_HDR by pepperhead212, on Flickr Here's how large it got last year, indoors!  DSCF0592 by pepperhead212, on Flickr Here's the Black Seeded Simpson, which started much slower, but it beginning to catch up:  IMG_20181220_145127668_HDR by pepperhead212, on Flickr And here's some mizuna, and some bok choy leaves in the corners:  IMG_20181220_145123841_HDR by pepperhead212, on Flickr And the Thai and Gecofure basils, growing into the lights (trimmed this morning, for some friends):  IMG_20181208_185657257 by pepperhead212, on Flickr |
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Post by desertwoman on Dec 22, 2018 9:51:53 GMT -5
reuben , is your bed against a south facing wall and/or do you mostly rely on the cover for added warmth?
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Post by reuben on Dec 22, 2018 11:15:29 GMT -5
Yeah, that wall faces more or less south. I use Agribon (19?) down into the 20s, and put Tufflite over that if it gets colder.
Started two more Coastal Star romaine seedlings in the basement today.
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Post by tom 🕊 on Jan 9, 2019 12:50:38 GMT -5
Harvested a winter lettuce today. It was grown in the open with no protection from the cold. Baker Creek sells a Landis Winter Lettuce. It's smaller than mine but may have a better flavor.
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Post by ahntjudy on Jan 14, 2019 8:59:48 GMT -5
reuben 's, and pepperhead212 's pictures and tom 🕊 's's harvests already, has me getting antsy to start some romaine or something pretty soon... I don't have a cold weather set up right now so I need to wait til Spring to plant out... I'm hoping to time the seed starting right so I don't end up baby-sitting a bunch of flats of plants for longer than need be... I have leftover romaine seed from last year and hope that will germinate for me... I would imagine so... I'm trying not to buy any more seeds...
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Post by Mumsey on Jan 14, 2019 10:30:52 GMT -5
ahntjudy, The seeds should be fine. This season, let one go to seed, then you will never have to buy any.
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Post by ahntjudy on Jan 14, 2019 10:32:48 GMT -5
A big 'Yup' on that Mumsey... :( |
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jan 14, 2019 11:14:34 GMT -5
Are these cut once or come again? Tasty? |
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Post by reuben on Jan 14, 2019 11:27:36 GMT -5
lilolpeapicker, I don't know. I haven't grown it before. It's supposed to be "heat tolerant", but the truth of the matter is that nothing is "heat tolerant" around here in July-August except peppers. I bought the seeds from Johnny's Seeds - www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/lettuce/romaine-lettuce-cos/coastal-star-organic-lettuce-seed-2963G.htmlPer Johnny's and other sites it can be harvested as baby romaine or as full heads, but, well, isn't that true of everything? I haven't found any mention of it growing back after being cut anywhere. I'm not real happy with the Sparx romaine I've been growing the last couple of years, so I'm looking for another green romaine. Monte Carlo and the standard Parris Island are also in the running, but I probably won't be growing Monte Carlo this year.
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Post by Mumsey on Jan 14, 2019 15:36:36 GMT -5
Paris Island and Vivian do pretty well here. I ordered a smallish one, Little Gem which is supposed to be heat tolerant. From Baker Creek.
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Post by Mumsey on Jan 19, 2019 13:53:34 GMT -5
Planted a few of the Little Gem. Sprouted in 2 days.
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Post by deckman22 on Feb 1, 2019 0:42:17 GMT -5
I did the little gems too. They handle the cold days as well as the hot days.
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Post by Mumsey on Feb 1, 2019 5:01:24 GMT -5
Transplanted some of the Little Gem seedlings yesterday. They sure germinated well! Thinned them out considerably. They will grow faster now.
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