Welcome to
The Maple Hill Hop.
This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.
Feel free to post about anything that's going on
OUTSIDE
in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.
no matter the season.
(Please share only outdoor posts.)
Please link back to Maple Hill 101.Today lettuce give thanks...
for the bounty that fills our need for freshness.
Lettuce is one of the best crops to grow here in winter.
We have temperatures that are just cool enough to encourage germination,
sunny days which inspire growth
and bugs take a vacation for the most part,
so they don't factor in to this crop's life cycle.
One of my favorite varieties is buttercrunch.
This is melt-in-your mouth good,
with just enough crunch and texture to satisfy any green lover.
Most lettuce takes about 50-60 days to mature,
but many can be harvested earlier for more tender leaves.
There are so many varieties of lettuce available now.
Reds, greens, purples all deserve a place in the garden
and on your dinner plate.
The collection of colors, textures and tastes
means that every gardener can find something s/he likes.
Lettuce is easily grown in containers, as are all you see here.
The soil should be kept moist throughout the growing season,
so as long as it's getting about an inch per week,
you should be able to savor it for quite some time.
We fertilize about every 4 to 6 weeks to give them the nutrients they need to thrive.
Lettuce is one of the easiest crops to provide for your homestead.
Loaded with vitamins, it's one of the best things you can do for your body.
Whether you're in the midst of your winter growing season,
as we are here in Central Florida,
or just planning your spring garden,
be sure to consider this generous and delicious veggie.
What's happening where you are?
HOP on!
There's my rooster post I meant to share last week. I was very careful this week. Thank you for hosting! It's a fun hop!
ReplyDeleteI loved it! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteHi Daisy
ReplyDeleteThere are so many beautiful lettuces now--it's always hard to choose.
I prefer a sweet lettuce.
Hope you have a good week
You are so right about that. I'm a sweet lettuce gal too. Don't care for the bitters, but I'll bet they're good for you. Good to see you here!
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ReplyDeleteDaisy, I was hoping to be able to grow salads in my basement this winter but didn't get the buckets filled with soil until yesterday. It's now on to the spring plan of starting the tomatoes and green peppers a month early so they can be set out in the garden with a month jump on the season. Onions will be started under the grow lights in about a week which officially begins the garden season. Some of the onions turned out fairly well last year so I'm hoping for a better year for onions this year. Each year the harvest gets better as I learn better ways to grow things and how to give each vegetable the care that they need.
Have a great Florida Winter garden day.
I know you'll be so happy to be starting seeds again. Enjoy!
DeleteHistorically I have been an utter failure at growing lettuce from seeds. Seeing all the beautiful lettuce makes me want to try again though. :-) Next year, perhaps.
ReplyDeleteIt's important here to grow it in the fall and winter. Our climate doesn't suit growing lettuce when the rest of the country does. Hope you'll give it a go!
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