Spring in the Garden

Spring in the Garden

Tuesday 19 May 2009

Lettuce

One home-grown crop I've been enjoying for several weeks is lettuce, although I did buy the initial 8 Little Gem plants as seedlings.

In fact, this photo taken at the end of April shows just one lettuce missing. There is only one left in that tub now, although I have planted four more Little Gem type seedlings I raised myself. The copper-felt mat underneath does seem to deter slugs and snails so long as I don't let the grass get too long, or the lettuce leaves don't hang down. I'm also trying rooibos tea leaves as an added deterrent.



















All these have now gone, too, and have been replaced by Romana type seedlings, which I also grew myself. Thankfully it was only the outer leaves that had holes in, and the chickens didn't care, they loved those, while we ate the nice bits inside. However, it does mean I need a copper mat or something to stop the slugs and snails climbing up as the wool alone doesn 't stop them, especially once the lettuces cover it over.


I'm currently working my way through these butter-head lettuces, which have got quite big now, so just the thinnings provide a lot of lettuce. I'm leaving a few to heart up, hopefully.

3 comments:

  1. Your variey of lettuces look great, I particularly like the Little Gems. I have the 'cut and come again' variety which just keep going and going. Thanks for the tip on the rooibos tea bags - I will give that a try.
    Jeanne

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  2. Hi Karin

    Pleased things are going well with you. Things Fowl-Play wise have suffered a set-back (see my blog) but we'll keep going.

    chers
    Geoff

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  3. MMmm they look tasty. Our Tom Thumb and Lollo Rosso are still too small to nibble at yet.

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I look forward to reading your comments, it's always good to hear encouraging words or relevant hints and tips.