Comments on: Fabulous Lettuce This Year

By: dlyn

dlyn — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:26:01 +0000

Our lettuce is incredible this year – it must be the weather. When we have a nice wet year like this, we realize that if we watered more in drier years, we would have a lot more veggies!

Our salads – and we eat it nearly every day, all year – vary by what we have or, in colder months, what we feel like paying for. Various kinds of lettuces, maybe some shredded cabbage, always lots of onion [cause our kids are out of the house and we can eat what like], cukes, tomatoes, cauliflower or broccoli, carrots, celery, radish, nearly always red peppers, olive, black beans, chick peas, avocado, pine nuts, cheese – any or all of the above. Dressing is usually something I have just thrown together – a creamy bleu or feta, balsamic vinaigrette, pesto vinaigrette, oil and vinegar with fresh garlic and herbs. We like salad a lot

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:45:30 +0000

Ahhh! My dad grew Romaine lettuce last year and this year in TN and I got to have some when I went to pick up 2nd son from college. There IS a difference between store bought and homegrown lettuce. There just IS! It was so good. As to added ingredients, I like some crunchies in my salad – nuts, esp. walnuts, sunflower seeds, and homemade croutons. I also like to throw in some dried cranberries from Sam’s occasionally. Your different varieties are incredible. I’ve never even heard of some of them! The helpful harvesters’ smiles speak volumes too!

By: Muum

Muum — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:12:10 +0000

your lettuce looks good, I have planted twice and still have no lettuce. The first batch got eaten by something. The second batch didn’t come up, maybe it was too hot. ah well. Maybe I’ll try again in the fall!

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:25:34 +0000

Robin, the Revolution had started developing a stalk but was only mildly bitter, not as bitter as some endive I’ve had. You wouldn’t want it to be the only lettuce in your salad but as part of a mix it was fine. I’ve never thought of romaine as a head variety. It doesn’t form a ball. We cut it off at ground level and it often makes another smaller clump.

By: Mary Ann Newcomer

Mary Ann Newcomer — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:36:41 +0000

You will like this: add some herb leaves to the salad. Like mint, basil, a little oregano, parsley is awesome, tarragon if you like…….it really kicks it up and adds a wonderful freshness to a salad. Try to find white or golden balsamic. It tastes a little milder but doesn’t make a dirty looking mess of everything it touches. I often dress a salad with just fresh lemon juice, salad oil, s & p. If you need a protein, you can add some cottage cheese to the dressing as well. It will have the same appearance as blue or goat cheese but I always have it on hand and it too, is mild. How’s all that??????

Those heads of lettuce looked beautiful. Would have liked to see more of your helpers.

By: Robin Wedewer

Robin Wedewer — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:04:55 +0000

Kathy, I think I like the kid pictures even better than the lettuce photos–they look so happy.

I am VERY impressed with the lettuce. I do very well with Red Sails and Black Seeded Simpson, but not so well with any of the big head varieties.

Are the red lettuces such as Revolution at all bitter?

Robin Wedewer
Gardening Examiner

By: kendra

kendra — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:14:55 +0000

we threw in some apples the other night..”Pink Ladies”. Very good!

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:40:20 +0000

Gail and all others leaving out onions: the only onion I use is a sweet, mild one like Vidalia, sliced very thin. And not in every salad, because about half the family doesn’t like it.

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:59:55 +0000

Kathy,

Not a lettuce grower but I love the crunchy lettuces…like Romaines and a crunchy salad in general. I add cukes, tomatoes, sliced raw fennel bulb, blueberries, some crunchy sprouts, carrots, red peppers and other lettuces and arugula! Never raw onions I think they become the only flavor and over whelm the others and I don’t like that. It’s funny but onion eaters love my salads even without the onion flavor….topped with the best balsamic vinegar I can find and a good olive oil.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:26:04 +0000

Kathy, what an amazing assortment! You make me want to try lettuce growing again. It’s totally the wrong time of year for us to do so, although I remember reading about someone here growing lettuce in the shade during summer months. I’ve got plenty of seeds, so it might be worth a try if the temps aren’t too high for it to germinate. Those are some cute young farmers in the pictures, too!

As for what to put in a salad, I like parmesan, avocado, green olives, red pepper and tomatoes with a balsamic vinaigrette (fresh herbs in the vinaigrette add a nice zing).