Lettuce

I really think the key to my lettuce success is starting indoors. I just can't get a strong start on my seeds when I sow outdoors--I've stubbornly tried over and over again with sad results. So this year, I went back to the indoor starts. 

In little chobani containers, I started:

Frizzy-Headed Drunken Woman

Flashy Trout's Back

Pot and Patio blend

Wild Garden blend

Heirloom blend

Wild Garden Kales

Purslane

The purslane and wild garden lettuce blend didn't do so well, but the kale started impressively. The others did pretty well. 

Since three weeks have passed, I put the seedlings out under my mini hoop cover (this whole setup is a little janky, since I rigged the cover and hoops to fit something they honestly don't fit). I am hoping to harden them off and get them in my window box in the next few days. Then I want to start another round of seeds for succession planting--every three weeks is recommended. 

I am out of Drunken and Trout seeds, so I might try letting a few of the later bolts go to seed and see if I can't collect some. I haven't tried to collect lettuce seed yet, but why not learn?

I started a few spinach and chard seeds outdoors--some in the window box under the cover, some in an uncovered container. They are just starting to show little green faces. 

Can't wait to start eating salads from my own back deck!

March

I knew this was coming, but it is still a little cruel and unusual. 

At least I have these:

Spring has raised its little green head, even if it hit the snooze button and went back to sleep. 

PS:  The calendula is from last year's seed!

Garden 2015

So it begins. 

I have a spreadsheet, a sketch, and my seedbox full of seeds. 

I have tomato, pepper, borage, and thyme seedlings already showing their green throats. Lettuce, kale, spinach, and strawberry seeds are waiting to stir. 

The temperatures climbed above freezing and the mounds of snow are slowly disappearing. (I think I got a little sunburn on my face biking home from work this week!)

I only bought two extra packages of seeds at the garden center, despite my vow to abstain. 

It's nearly spring, which means it's time for the garden. 

So it begins.