It’s time once again for Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. Salad season has begun here, and I made two modest cuttings of lettuce from the greenhouse this past week. The plants are beginning to size up now, though still not quite full sized. I cut red and green oakleaf types, and a red leaf lettuce called Hyper Red Rumple Waved.
green oakleaf lettuce
red lettuce
Some of that was used to top fish tacos we had for dinner one night, and it also went on bean tacos one day for lunch.
fish tacos
I’m already getting ready for the next wave of lettuce. I transplanted lettuce seedlings one morning, plucking them out of the plug trays and setting them into 3.5″ pots. That makes for big plants with a well established root system that take off quickly when set out.
potting up lettuce seedlings
In other news, it has been over 10 years now since we put up new fencing around the vegetable garden, and the chicken wire I put around the bottom is badly in need of repair. The wire keeps out rabbits and other small animals who could easily slip through the holes in the galvanized fencing. Right now they could get through in a number of places!
hole in chicken wire
I am running two foot wide chicken wire around the perimeter of the garden, lapping about six inches down on the ground and the rest up on the fencing material. I am securing it all with zip ties. The zip ties usually need replacing before the wire, though I am using ones that are supposed to be heat and UV resistant. It’s not hard work to run the wire and secure it, but it is time-consuming for sure. I’m about half way done and hope to finish soon before planting season begins.
chicken wire
securing with zip ties
And in the shade garden, the hellebores are still putting on a show for us. We only have a few planted, but they brighten up the area in early spring. The deer also leave them alone, which is a big plus since they tend to eat a lot of things we plant. They are definitely blooming earlier than usual, which I think bodes well for an early spring.
hellebore
Anna’s Red hellebore
Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to share, add your name and blog link to Mr Linky below. And be sure and check out what everyone is harvesting!
I’m envious of the colorful and tasty salads you get this time of year. Not quite envious enough to build a greenhouse, though! Working with chicken wire is a real pain (sometimes literally). I can see why you space it out over a couple of days. I did not know you can buy UV-resistant zip ties.
The gloves help with the chicken wire Will, though not so much with the zip ties.
I got the greenhouse as a retirement gift to myself. Some friends got a motorcycle when they retired, one restored old Mustangs, and one co-worker even went into the chicken farming business! I am happy with my choice and it has served me well.
Hi Dave – I had a question on your timing of planting greens in the greenhouse for overwintering. Are the plants almost mature before your persephone period hits, and then they resume growing after? Will these plants bolt soon, or will they continue to produce until hot weather arrives? Thanks!
Susan, these plants were started indoors in late November and set out in January just as our daylengths were reaching the 10 hour mark. The lettuces won’t bolt, but some of the other greens like arugula and pac choi eventually will. The greenhouse heats up quickly, so typically the cool season crops are done for in there by late May or early June. I hope this helps!
Ah I see! Yes that clarifies things. For some reason I had thought these were planted in the fall. I may try this next year (a bit later than you since I’m further north, plus it will be in a low tunnel rather than a greenhouse). I’m trying to push the spring season since it seems hot weather comes too quickly!
Lettuce gardeners seem always to be seeking the new and perfect lettuce. This year I set out six different varieties and only one seemed to get aphids and green caterpillars (Outredgeous). I likely won’t plant again in large amounts. Gardening is about experimentation as you demonstrate. Hellebores are lovely.
You are so correct about experimentation! And then the weather throws a curve ball and we get sub-zero temps in December that freezes out everything outside and in the greenhouse.
I’m looking to treat myself to a greenhouse in the garden in about a decade Dave, I figure by age 70 I will appreciate the convenience of gardening in the garden, rather than the allotment
I think we need some different coloured hellebores. Ours gave self seeded and now more==st are a dusky pink