Lettuce all year round

 

click on this chart to enlarge it.

Dear Garden-lovers,

According to the WestCoast Seed planting guides (links are in the right side bar if you scroll down) you can plant lettuce all year round and keep it going right through the winter too. The trick is to sow seed every two weeks, and to harvest mostly by taking the outer leaves, leaving the crown to keep growing. This is less work than trying to produce heads of lettuce. 

 I've made a graphic just showing lettuce-through-the-year above. Click on it to enlarge the calendar. Since it thrives in the 10-15 C degree range, it's best not to try and grow it in full sun or anywhere but a cool corner in the hot months.

We have found that the front right of the garden is cool and shady and gives the best results. We might try soil boxes, lettuce pots or trays this year, leaving them all in the shade.

Also as a note on harvesting,  since we don't have refrigeration at DIGS, the harvested lettuce gets too wilty waiting for customers, so it's easier if gardeners simply choose a loose-leaf method of picking the lettuce.

Here are some Charles Dowding films all set to start at the right exact moment to learn how he handles lettuce in the same Zone 8 Coastal zone that we are in.

Growing salad in winter in poly-tunnel: (video)

Growing lettuce in summer: (video)

Picking the outer leaves to keep the lettuce going: (video)

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Another crop that loves cool weather (springtime 10C) is Spinach:

Spinach all year round; see article.

As you can see from this simplified westcoast planting chart, both crops can be planted every month of the year except Dec-Jan; and you can be harvesting leaves in 40-60 days from starting.

Click on this chart to enlarge it.

How our garden works

Dear gardeners,

Here's some basic information for newcomers who want to learn more about our community garden.

- The DIGS gardens are 100% organic. No pesticides, fungicides, herbicides etc.

- Allotment beds for families take up the back half the garden, the remaining front half is shared by all members.

- We work and harvest together the shared half of the garden, meeting each week at 10 am on a Saturday. Harvest for that day is shared among whomever has worked, with any extra going onto the harvest table on the boulevard for the public to help themselves. 

- After many years we've figured out that crops fare better if a "carrot queen" or "lettuce hobbit" or "onion expert" look after specific crops. It creates less confusion and more expertise in the long run, plus a bigger harvest. If you are good at a certain fruit or veg, or would like to become a "Queen of Turnip", do volunteer.

- Some people prefer to work in the public part of the garden alone, and of course, they can do their gardening anytime. The Saturday meeting will tell you what needs to be done with the important jobs all listed and discussed. You can then choose jobs.

- Allotment bed folk need to tend and amend their own soil, keeping it fertile, by top dressing with manure, seaweed, leaf mold, purchased soil from town. We do ask they don't shade other beds, and avoid using dangerous fencing/trellis materials (sharp metal etc.) Allotment folk each are responsible for one week of lawn mowing per year and the watering of specific beds (all beds are numbered).

- If you join the community garden ($10 per year) you can vote at the annual AGM and receive discounts at various gardening centers by showing your DIGS card. 

- We have a DIGS Plant Sale every year in May selling flowers, veggies, perennials, and deer-proof and native plants. The money raised (along with some of our other fundraisers) goes towards purchasing our garden supplies. We also have a Dessert Auction, Garlic Raffle and a very fun Fall Fair every year.

- We are about to purchase a larger "cool/poly" greenhouse to replace the slightly too-small one we currently use. Update:  As of February we've been informed that the city will limit any new indoor growing space to 10x10' or 8x12' only, in order to avoid the need for foundations/geotech survey etc. So we will now be seeking an 8x12' cool greenhouse made of rigid polycarbonate as well as several take-down cold frames made of aluminum instead. We will maintain our older small poly-tunnel as it exists and will be replacing the poly this year (quick/easy).

- Although in peak season it's great to have a "tasting garden" and pick a raspberry or blueberry, or taste a frond of dill, we ask that people not wander in and pick any ripe vegetables and fruit without express permission. Let's all share instead.

- Also some crops like asparagus require specific harvest techniques such as to be cut below the soil line instead of broken off mid-stem which actually kills off that part of the plant. So harvesting together and knowledgably is best for all. Methods of distributing food will evolve as we produce bigger harvests.

- You are welcome to post photos, ideas, tips and links on our gardening blog (yes, right here) as multiple authors are welcome on the blog.

Please leave questions in the comments below if you have some.

Allotment Bed Rules and Guidelines are here.

Best, Jen