What Are You Planting Today, This Week, This Month?

[Marie2020]

we have a lot of weed barrier in use here too. it's not what i would want, but it is what has happened. at some future point i will probably be swearing about having to clean it up...

We will never be these ruddy weeds. They are becoming more like the Triffids every day.

 

[Marie2020]

This lettuce planting is intended for summer salads hopefully. This year I'm trying my best to start heat-tolerant lettuce every two weeks, so we never run out. And like you I'm noticing volunteers pop up here and there, which is wonderful.

Around here lettuce that's intended for seed goes out in late spring, or overwinters and then sets seed. I'm considering doing a large planting of lettuce in August, just to see which varieties will survive the winter. Those cold-tolerant plants would be really good candidates for seed saving.

Can you give the names of these lettuces please

We have a huge amount of snails and slugs here. I have just purchased organic slug pellets. I hope they will help

 

[Branching Out]

Have you tried any part-shade spots for your lettuce? I've found that lettuce, peas, cucumber and zucchini all seem to do a little better with a bit of shade even if its slows them down a little. It also seems to extend their cropping period some years.

I have tried part shade, and full shade, with poor results. It may be just too hot and dry for them. I'm going to try to water them daily if I can to see if that helps. Every year I try something new though, and maybe one of these days we'll figure out the secret for growing lettuce in summer. I know that Pam Dawling recommends growing Tokyo Bekana as a replacement for lettuce in summer. I've grown it in the past, and it looks and tastes just like lettuce-- but it's a mustard green.

 

[Branching Out]

Can you give the names of these lettuces please

We have a huge amount of snails and slugs here. I have just purchased organic slug pellets. I hope they will help

Many seed companies advertise heat tolerant lettuce varieties. Renees Garden offers quite a few; perhaps there is a UK company with similar offerings? From my past experience Jester is very good for summer growing, and a tiny butterhead called Tom Thumb has been exceptionally heat-tolerant in our garden too. Evidently butterhead (aka bibb lettuce) is one of the best kinds to grow in summer. And I feel your pain on the slug front. I hand-picked 3000 slugs in May; after that I went out and bought a jug of slug bait too. There is one lettuce that I'm aware of that seems to be resistant to slugs: Alkindus. It's a pretty red butterhead, and last fall the slugs attacked several varieties of lettuce that I planted out-- but they left Alkindus alone. It also appears to be slow to bolt, which is another good quality.

 

[Marie2020]

Many seed companies advertise heat tolerant lettuce varieties. Renees Garden offers quite a few; perhaps there is a UK company with similar offerings? From my past experience Jester is very good for summer growing, and a tiny butterhead called Tom Thumb has been exceptionally heat-tolerant in our garden too. Evidently butterhead (aka bibb lettuce) is one of the best kinds to grow in summer. And I feel your pain on the slug front. I hand-picked 3000 slugs in May; after that I went out and bought a jug of slug bait too. There is one lettuce that I'm aware of that seems to be resistant to slugs: Alkindus. It's a pretty red butterhead, and last fall the slugs attacked several varieties of lettuce that I planted out-- but they left Alkindus alone. It also appears to be slow to bolt, which is another good quality.

Thanks so much for this information. It's very much appreciated

 

[Marie2020]

Here is where we have planted the various potatoes

I'm hoping to start broad beans in the box at the side