What did you do in the garden today?

[Ninjasquirrel]

I am a huge fan of most lettuces as they are easy for us to grow. Bibb is no exception! I love the tiny varieties with different textures and tastes. Good 'old arugula remains a favourite. Anything spicy is right up my ally!! 🌶

I'm trying iceberg this year. Ive never done lettuce before. It sprouted so no turning back now! What's a good way to keep it after harvesting?

 

[BReeder!]

Today I managed to finish filling the 2nd of our new raised beds. I made a bit of progress on removing ther hill of dirt along the way too. I fear there's still Mike dirt than I can use though, which is really starting to concern me. I need to frame up the last new bed so I can transfer dirt from a bed I need to move. A thunderstorm is coming through though, so I'll have tp se how wet things are tomorrow. It's supposed to rain tomorrow afternoon also, which may delay me until Friday or Saturday. Oh, and guess what... it's supposed to rain Saturday and Sunday.

Back inside, I used some wood scraps to lift me LED bar and built a simple stand for two more LED bulbs. My zucchini are really leggy because I wasn't able to get lights on them until today. I'm hoping the light will help strengthen the stems. I'll likely need to stake each plant when I transplant them in a few weeks. I might just restart with new zucchini seeds even... My yellow squash is not germinating well. I planted 2 seeds in each of 24 pots (solo cups). Only two seedlings have emerged. I'm going the heat from today will motivate the others. It was in the 70s today.

Lastly, my sweet potato slips are doing well. I put them under the lights too now. Root development is coming along.

 

[pasdechat73]

I'm trying iceberg this year. Ive never done lettuce before. It sprouted so no turning back now! What's a good way to keep it after harvesting?

My grandnana taught us this. I'm sure its pretty basic but it works. Wrap the leaves in a damp paper towel, get a plastic bag, make holes in it, put the leaves in the bag, and store in the crisper. When you're ready to use, rinse in a colander with cold water and pat dry the leaves. Of course, now a days they have salad spinners to dry things out. I'm sure those work too!

She also taught us (with lettuce) to reserve the core once all the leaves are gone and there's just tiny offshoots. Remove any brown, yucky or stragglers at the bottom, place in a bowl of cold water, change water daily, and replant before it gets leggy or going to seed. Here's a photo of two romaines that I stripped a week ago. They're doing well and these are 3rd gen now. Will replant next day or two.

 

[BReeder!]

I'm trying iceberg this year. Ive never done lettuce before. It sprouted so no turning back now! What's a good way to keep it after harvesting?

I just harvest lettuce as I need it. I never found lettuce to last long after picked. You nay get a few days just. Don't be afraid to pick some smaller heads early and eat them. If you wait for a single large harvest you will end up with rotten lettuce before you eat through it all. That's my experience at least, which is limited to be honest.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey all my potato sits out in buckets to keep them from rotting in the corner of the kitchen house stays about 68... Was out getting grocery at Costco no garden today

 

[Farmdog267]

Finally sorted all my seeds today for the first time in forever aaaaaaaaannnnnnndddddddd..... I think I might be a little bit of seed hoarder or addict or something.

I have ones all the way through 2016 to this year.

View attachment 2080944View attachment 2080945View attachment 2080947

My seed collection looks similar and seems to be of similar age though many new additions in the past year.

I just harvest lettuce as I need it. I never found lettuce to last long after picked. You nay get a few days just. Don't be afraid to pick some smaller heads early and eat them. If you wait for a single large harvest you will end up with rotten lettuce before you eat through it all. That's my experience at least, which is limited to be honest.

Crops like lettuce spinach and peas I try to stagger so some is maturing at x days and then more 7-10 later etc. otherwise you get too much and it don't hold on the shelf that long. Corn is particularly difficult given the pollination aspect.

 

[BReeder!]

Crops like lettuce spinach and peas I try to stagger so some is maturing at x days and then more 7-10 later etc. otherwise you get too much and it don't hold on the shelf that long. Corn is particularly difficult given the pollination aspect.

I freeze excess peas and beans. Canning would be another option if I had a pressure canner. If our corn produces well this year, I'll freeze the excess of that as well. I'm not a fan of frozen spinach, but it's possible to freeze that too. Lettuce... not going to ever freeze that.

 

[karenerwin]

I'm trying iceberg this year. Ive never done lettuce before. It sprouted so no turning back now! What's a good way to keep it after harvesting?

In your belly!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

My piles look similar. I buy some, people give me some. Have multiple packs of the same thing... Trying to use up the open packs before I open new packs.

Same!! I always forget I have them already or think they’re too old or whatever so buy more I also love the end of season sales and buy lots when they go down haha I have so many multiples it’s ridiculous and soooo many tomatoes.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Crops like lettuce spinach and peas I try to stagger so some is maturing at x days and then more 7-10 later etc. otherwise you get too much and it don't hold on the shelf that long. Corn is particularly difficult given the pollination aspect.

Good idea! Thanks!

For some reason I never have much luck with spinach.

Might try again though. And gonna try a bunch of other lettuces this year. Found some when going through the seeds that I want to try plus I have some from last year that I never tried.