Hey Bit ... Well, the 'thought' is always more daunting than the actually DOing it!!!! I, too, am going to move the lettuce growing into another area for the end of May forward where it may be cooler.

I use any vegetable seed starter mix and mix it about 50/50 with leftover potting soil. I have seen it done in Spagnum Moss!!! Whatever is cheap!!!

Since you place the peatpots in the neck and then don't move them at all...they and the roots swell up rather well and don't 'disintegrate'. However, try moving them and it's a disaster (falling into the jug!!!). Bob has drilled the holes too large and I have made shims out of old chopsticks or popsicle sticks or sticks from the yard and wrapped them with duct tape.!!!

Trish said: I think if I were really on the ball, I could do row covers and actually harvest all year, but I haven't been that good yet.

Oh my, you southerners are so spoiled! up here near the Arctic Circle floating row cover is my best friend (also because the cats tend to dig newly planted stuff up unless it's covered...) I have to think you could easily grow your lettuce throughout the winter, I had some survive in an unheated hoophouse until November or so, and then it grew back early the next year -- (this photo was taken on May 20th)



I bought some fiberglass rods from Gardener's Supply that are very easy to stick into the ground and throw the row cover over. I'm thinking the cover could also be helpful in the hotter weather for you, by helping to hold in some moisture and providing a bit of shade for the plants.

On a slightly different note, nature can be so cruel -- we picked our first asparagus last night, and woke up this morning to about an inch of snow on the ground! oh well, lots of years we're still buried under snow at this point!

Snow?!?!?! ACK! Yes, I'm spoiled indeed! On the hand, you are reminding me why we decided not to inherit the grandparent's farm in WI!

Actually, the reason why I haven't made the effort for the row covers/shade covers is because we don't garden in rows. Well, some things we do, I guess, but none of the lettuce is grown that way. I'm using the Hugel bed, and it's pretty difficult to cover since it is such an odd shape. That might be a good reason to take over a couple of rows of the new swales that Dave put together this spring, though!

" it's pretty difficult to cover since it is such an odd shape"

Yes, that would add another difficulty factor!

I do my summer lettuce in bins, so they can be moved into the shade. Definitely can't move the hugelkultur bed.

>> Bob has drilled the holes too large and I have made shims out of old chopsticks or popsicle sticks or sticks from the yard and wrapped them with duct tape.!!!

Since you're using duct tape already, you might be able to make one-piece shims from 2 liter soda bottles taped inverted into the hole in the milk jug.

P.S. Duct tape may last 1-2 seasons, but Gorilla Tape is forever!

Kitazawa Seeds is great, and they EXPLAIN what each variety is and give recipies.
http://www.kitazawaseed.com/


I also like Tainong Seeds: they mainly sell wholesale to commercial growers, but will sell 2-gram pkts for $2 to anyone, and Priority S&H is only $5-$6. Two grams is a lot of Brassica seeds!

Tainong has pictures and a brief blurb for each variety. They have nearly as much variety as Kitazawa, but lean towards commercial growers hence have many hybrids and popular OP varieties (not rare heirlooms).
http://www.tainongseeds.com/

If you would like to try any I have, or swap for a sample of HORENZO, Akarenso or 'Vitamin Green", here's my Asian & Brassicas Have List:
http://cubits.org/ellasgarden/...

Bok Choy green stem & white stem,
flowering Bok Choy (Yu Choy & Yu Choy Sum),
Gai Lan,
Tatsoi,
Mustard,
small Gaichoy
Mizuna

There is a red leafed Bok Choy also (Johnny's Seeds) I love to eat raw in salads!!!!

OH...I didn't know....Vitamin Green is a type of Horenzo? YUM!!!!

I use them in everything from salads to Quiche!!!

Since Johnny's Selected Seeds calls their Vitamin Green "Brassica rapa (Narinosa group)". I don't THINK it can be related to Horenzo.

I never heard of Horenzo before you introduced me to it, but searching around online, 1-2 places call it "Japanese Spinach".

My older PAPER copy of the Kitazawa catalog seems to say that "Horenzo" is the Japanese word for "spinach", so presumably it is "Spinacia oleracea", or at least "Spinacia" and not a Brassica.

http://www.kitazawaseed.com/se...
Akarenso, Hybrid #306
Alrite, Hybrid #038
Okame, Hybrid #123
Samba, Hybrid #301


You might wnat to try this: Tainong also has what they call "Oriental Spinach". My notes say "Hybrid", so he either told me that on the phone, or I guessed.

On the phone, he assured me it was a local variety of "regular spinach", with arrowhead-shaped leaves and some heat tolerance. "Large upright plant with long tender stems. Big, slightly pointed leaves. Dark green color. Strong against Mosaic and Downy mildew. Heat tolerant variety."

FYI- Johnny's is backordered on all of their heat tolerant lettuces and such until mid summer.

www.kitazawaseed.com does still have the Asian green and spinach, but I think I'm going to pass on ordering this time around.

Tainong sounds like what I have been buying here in the market. I really like it and if heat tolerant...that's for ME!!! Already my hydroponics are starting to bolt.....so I think my days of lettuce growing are limited!!!! Big SALAD tongiht!!!!

Let me know if you'd like a sample of any of the Asian greens - I bought enough to share. See the "Asian Trade List" link in m y signature block.

(You espec ially, Trish and Carol!)

Rick- would you say that the 50 days to harvest is pretty accurate for you?

Hey, Rick...where are you in WN? Didn't you once tell me? By Edmonds?

I'm going to be in Bellingham next week.... maybe we could meet. I have tons of Yukina seeds and red leaf BokChoy....

>> Rick- would you say that the 50 days to harvest is pretty accurate for you?

I'm not that organized yet, by far. I notice if they all die, or thrive enough that I get plenty. i WOULD say that any of these Brassicas that I don't kill, are edible as salad greens in much less than two months, like microgreens in 3 weeks and salad greens in 4-5 weeks. Probably (as far as I recall) 45-60 days would be optimum harvest time for mature plants (steam or sautee).

Last spring was very cold and only Bok Choy did well, then I got busy with other things and planted NO Fall crolps. So I really can't say. But all these Asian greens are good if you have to harvest them before fully mature: tender for salad, just less yield per square foot.

Caroll, I'm in-between Everett and Lynnwood. Bellingham is 70 miles North, around an hour and a half driving time. After work would be tough, but maybe on the weekend?

Thanks, Rick.

I was asking to get a good handle on my timeline.
I think I better wait until fall or next spring to try...

I actively proselytize Asian greens, and have quite a stash I'm eager to share. You could stock up now for Fall!

The number on the far-left is how many varieties I have available.
Days to maturity are quoted from vendor's seed packets

7 - - - White Stem Bok Choy = Pak Choi = Brassica rapa (Chinesis Group) 35-50 day varieties

6 - - - Green Stem Bok Choy = Pak Choi = Brassica rapa (Chinesis Group) 35-45 day varieties

4 - - Yu Choy Sum = Flowering Pak Choy = Brassica rapa (Chinesis Group) or Brassica rapa var parachinensis - or - Brassica rapa var purpurea 40, 55 or 80 days


2 - - Tatsoi = Rosette Bok Choy = Brassica rapa (Narinosa Group)

2 - - Komatsuna "Spinach Mustard" = Brassica rapa (Komatsuna Group) (turnip family)

3 - - Gai Lan = Brassica oleracea (Alboglabra Group) 50-65 days

one variety each:

Mizuna Japanese Mustard = Brassica rapa var. nipposinica 40 days

Leaf Mustard / Small Gaichoy 35-40 days

Spigariello Liscia / Broccolo Spigariello / Brassica oleracea var. 'Spigariello' 45-65 days

"Oriental Spinach" = Spinacia oleracea

Red Amaranth 30-40 days Hot season crop

Oh, all right. You finally talked me into it
But only because I feel no pressure to sow until fall!

You won't be sorry, Trish!!! Remind me and I'll send you some Yukina in the fall....

Where there are plenty of choices, I'll lean towards the "Fall" varieties. Hopefully you do have 30-50 days between scorching-hot-summer-drought and fall frosts. If not, you'll have plenty of tender salad come first frost.

These Asian greens have so many names that seem designed to tempt Western gardeners (or at least be familiar):
"Spinach Mustard"
"Chinese Broccoli"
"Chinese Kale"

And they're all cool as little salad greens.