Tag: black seeded simpson

Planting – Bolted Lettuce Harvest

On By TimelessladyIn Planting2 Comments

IMG_2982

I might have mentioned in an earlier post this summer that my spring-seeded lettuce plants had all bolted to seed. The usual method of dealing with this is to pull the remaining plants and reseed the area with a summer vegetable. This year I decided on a different course; I let a few of my Black-seeded Simpson lettuce plants go to seed.

I’ve been quite surprised by how long it has taken the plant to set seed. After the initial seed stalk came up, rendering the sweet lettuce leaves bitter, it grew at a very slow rate. Finally, I noticed some little buds adorn the stem. They never opened into much of a flower, a little tassel of yellow fluff was all the bloom I noticed. These stringy flowers must have had some desirable pollen though…for suddenly the pod beneath swelled with seeds.

IMG_2983

Knowing exactly when to harvest plants I’ve allowed to go to seed has always bamboozled me a bit. I’ll think the seeds are ready and pick the pod, only to find they are still green and useless. This time the plant itself told me when to harvest the seeds by the yellow tassels turning into white fluff.

IMG_2994

I picked every pod that was fluffy, rolled the pod between my fingers, and voila, lettuce seeds. Hooray! Even better, the lettuce plants are very prolific…dozens of pods per plant stem. The pods mature at varying rates, making it easy to pick and clean a few each day. Each pod seems to hold between eight to twelve seeds, sometimes less, but often more.

IMG_2993

I am planning on growing lettuce indoors this winter as a microgreen. I also will save some for my Spring gardens. Black-seeded Simpson is one of my favorite varieties of lettuce.

IMG_2989

One problem I encountered with the lettuce plants was an attack of black aphids on the stems. They don’t seem to do much damage, but hey, who wants to see all those little sap-suckers attacking a plant. A good dousing with the hose knocks most off the plant. Because of the aphid infestation I will store the lettuce seeds in the fridge to keep all bugs or eggs dormant.

Follow Me on Pinterest

Plantings – Updated Posts

On By TimelessladyIn PlantingLeave a comment

IMG_2455

I thought I’d update a few past posts. The microgreen seeds I recently sowed, dated 2011, did great.

The seeds were purchased from Pinetree Garden Seeds. I recently ordered more seeds from the company and had them within a week. The sprouts are now a pretty decent size, and I’ve been “grazing” on them as I pass by. They are clean and ready to eat since they are in pots and elevated off the ground. A few cabbage butterflies have laid eggs, and the cruciferous vegetable sprouts have suffered a bit, but most of the plantings are tasty and still whole.

IMG_2457

The Black-Seeded Simpson lettuce that I allowed to go to seed has really surprised me. I didn’t know lettuce would grow so very high. Yikes! It is near three feet tall and still growing. It is beginning to set some yellow flowers so I think I’ll be able to gather quite a bit of seed from it in a few weeks. I enjoyed experimenting with the lettuce that bolted rather than pulling all of it out of the garden plots.

IMG_2459

I am absolutely “Over the Moon” in love with this gorgeous sage plant that unexpectedly showed up in my wildflower garden. Oh the color…amazing periwinkle blue…a hard shade to find in summer garden flowers. I will absolutely allow this to go to seed and gather it in the Fall. I will also press a few of the florets in hopes that they will hold onto the beautiful color. I have been so surprised by how lush my wildflower garden remained. It is August, granted a cooler one than usual, but still…wildflowers tightly sown still doing well in August??? Amazing!

Planting – First Harvest/Square Foot Garden 2013

On By TimelessladyIn PlantingLeave a comment

daffodils 006

I have begun harvesting some of my lettuce. The seedlings I grew through winter-sowing have leaves big enough to pick and enjoy eating.

daffodils 007

The delicious lettuce leaves above, varieties Cook’s Garden Mix and Black Seeded Simpson, were the perfect addition to a turkey sandwich on toast.

daffodils 005

Plants – Update Square Foot Gardens and Swiss Chard

On By TimelessladyIn Planting1 Comment

My Square Foot Gardens are doing great. Except for a few empty squares in the second garden, most of the space is filled with seeds or plants and growing well. I have harvested many servings of lettuce already. In fact, I can’t eat it fast enough and have been taking handfuls to family whenever I visit. The lettuce comes in a wide array of greens, pinks and reds and pairs perfectly with the arugula and water cress I have growing in the herb garden. A new sowing of mesclun is thriving and will soon be ready to begin harvesting. The bread seed poppies are magnificent and I expect them to send up budding stalks any day now. The peas in the back of the garden are in need of quick staking,  they are growing a few inches daily.

Here is a closeup of the earliest sown squares. Last week I sauteed a few pieces of kale with olive oil and garlic powder. Ah, so amazingly good; I wish I had begun this type of gardening years ago. This week I tried several leaves of the swiss chard. I chopped the stems and ribs and kept them separate from the leaves.

I gently boiled the chopped stems, and after about three minutes added the leaves along with a little Adobo spice mix, and gently simmered a few minutes longer.

Wow! The taste was beyond my highest expectations. I sprinkled the swiss chard with a squeeze of fresh lime, and “oohed” and “ahhed” with every mouthful. The best thing about both of these greens is they are still producing. I can’t wait to try my hand at cooking and eating them again.