It started upstairs. In our bedroom. Last year it moved to the basement. As weather allowed the lettuce and spinach moved outside.
I think we are done with that. The biggest reason?
We are much more likely to harvest and eat the lettuce if it’s inside. The box we typically grow in sits in view of the kitchen window just across the driveway. We have a cover over it and move plants outside by April. The problem is we just don’t go out and harvest frequently. Why? I have no clue. It might have something to do with the fact that Bill isn’t a big salad guy. It might have something to do with the fact that when we bring it in we are pretty meticulous about cleaning it and that takes time. Whatever the reason, inside works best for us. Here is what we have learned:
- We like growing lettuce inside because, bugs or slugs are gross.
- Animals and birds are abundant here. We felt, and I know some of you might find this silly, concern about what might be on that lettuce. From fecal matter to what the wind blew in, to what might have been chewing on the plants, we have zero control over that.
- Even though the box we grow in has the cover down most of the time temp and water can be an issue.
- Weeds are not an issue in the house.
- Germination works better in the house for us.
- Access is increased. Even on he coldest, wettest, dreariest days one or both of us is down in the basement. I am much more likely to notice if the lettuce needs water or needs to be harvested. Having water in that room makes the job very simple.
- I can cut the leaves, come upstairs rinse them in the salad spinner and make a salad. Everything is clean, there are no chemicals, no pests, no potential fecal matter contact.
- The fertilization schedule and amounts are much easier to control.
I try to grow head lettuce. I have never grown one of those nice iceberg lettuce heads. Never. Not Once. I can grow cut and come again leaf varieties, I just struggled with knowing when to start the harvest which has meant a lot of lettuce went to waste. I’m also not great with growing spinach and I know everyone says it’s so easy. Well for me the struggle is real. This is why we have narrowed down what we grow to only those types that I can be successful with, Nevada, Buttercrunch, Paris Island Romaine, and Burpee Bib. We also grow basil in the basement. Which we both like chopped up in our salads. I make fresh Ranch Dressing for Bill which uses herbs like dill and parsley which we also grow in the house. The convenience of being able to go to one place and gather everything we need for a salad means we are more likely to make a salad. Even though the herbs are in the small greenhouse outside the front door literally on the way to the box we grow lettuce we just didn’t.
Something I did not know until this year, when you fertilize and when you harvest is important. I was watching this video from HOSS, when he started talking about fertilizing with nitrogen, which leafy greens need, right? He went on to say that this is not regulated in the US so a commercial grower can use however much, whenever, and then harvest. This can cause stomach upsets in some people. We’ve all heard about nitrates in hot dogs and I’ve known people who were sensitive to that but I never thought about lettuce or leafy greens! It’s not like commercial growers are out to get us, he was saying they harvest to order. If they just fertilized and then get an order they will fill that order which could lead to higher levels of nitrates. Mind. Blown. Plus if the plants are getting too much nitrogen there could be a build up. I did try to find a more scientific study on this but didn’t run across anything that definitively stated this. I also could not find any studies showing levels of nitrates measured at different days as the plants broke nitrogen down. I generally like hard facts and controlled research. That being said if I can control fertilization and harvest then why not? This article talked about when and how to fertilize lettuce and it’s good general information. Even if Hoss isn’t 100% correct it still seems like a good idea to not over fertilize and don’t harvest directly after fertilizing. Which is another reason that growing inside has worked for me, I am doing all the fertilization by hand. I’m also using either worm castings, an organic liquid at half strength or some combo of both. With my herbs and my lettuce I’m a lot more careful of what they grow in and get when they are inside. The big boxes outside are harder to maintain with that same level of care. Everything gets topped with compost and we use a good fertilizer in the fertigation system with the zones setup according to the plants in those zones and their needs. But lettuce is in the same zone as some other veggies that have a longer growing time and slightly different nitrogen needs.
Plus I can get this whenever I want it all year long.
As for Bill and his relationship to salads? Well it’s still complicated but he is open to exploring his options. Honestly he has come to enjoy them. I think that while he was never a gardening guy it has “grown” on him. There are parts that he really enjoys and one of those is when just about every meal we eat, has something that we grew. Today he came back from the VA clinic and since it was late and he had skipped breakfast I made him a salad. You might think that’s harsh, way to hurt a guy, but he was excited when he saw what I was doing. The trick is how you frame it. I can say, “You’re getting a salad.” Or I can say, “Do you want cashews, cranberries, fresh grated cheese and carrots on your fried chicken salad?” The key was the last thing he heard was fried chicken. I told him I made hot honey for his biscuit instead of giving him plain croutons, and then asked him to give that a stir and a taste to see if it needed anything. By the time he was carrying that plate back to work you would have thought I had made him a gourmet feast.
(Edit from Bill: She did!)
Don’t tell him he just helped me clean the fridge out. The last of the left over birthday chicken, a half used carrot, dry as dust buttermilk biscuits, and some cashews that have been hanging around a long time. He thinks I spoil him, let’s just let him continue to think that.
Go grow some food!
