The only downside is that lettuce and tomato seasons do not overlap. I am going to experiment this summer with succession planting lettuce in the shade of other plants, and see if I can get some lettuce throughout the season. It is a really simple pleasure, but IMHO there is little that compares to going out to the garden just before dinner, gathering up your ingredients, and eating them a few minutes later. So you get to hear me go on and on about it in the annoying, evangelistic way to which gardeners are susceptible.
I started out with the yellow squash, where I got a pleasant surprise: two ready to be eaten. I sliced them very thin.
I thought this banana pepper might be ready to go, but it was still bitter and tough. Note to self: banana peppers are supposed to be yellow.
The green lettuce has bolted, thanks to the heat wave last week...
...but the red lettuce is still doing okay. A whole head joins the bowl.
A volunteer tomato plant, from last year's mega-monster cherry tomato bush (the thing took over the entire garden bed it was planted in). I found at least ten of these as I weeded while I picked. As my mom wisely says: a weed is any plant that is growing where you don't want it. This, and all its siblings, qualified as weeds.
Can you spot the non-weed in that thicket?
There it is: a teeny little baby lettuce plant. I take a few leaves from each plant.
The end haul:
Add some croutons, a little shredded cheddar and vinaigrette dressing: YUM.
Your harvest looks pretty darn good. Last year I tried Black Seeded Simpson Elite lettuce. Yummy and very slow to bolt. I planted some back in April and it has STILL not bolted.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks delicious! And I marvel at how much farther along your season is than mine.
ReplyDeleteKris, when I harvest lettuce this year I thank God for you! I never knew I could grow such great lettuce. It may turn out to be the one thing I have the perfect clime for growing.
Carry on!
Sheila