Most snaps are given away to people in the local community. Dried seed (a lot) is traded/ given away to the online community. One of these years, I may get around to finding the best blanching bean (taste & texture) for the freezer. In summer, I live on snap beans and tomatoes, in some way, as a part of most meals.

Tormato wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:59 pm The Bean Thief! If it was my garden, The Dante might never come back inside. It's usually 500+ bean plants a year. I'm a nutcase X 2, tomatoes and beans. Like tomatoes, I have no idea how many bean varieties I have.

Not if you can help it if you get this kinda response from The Bean Thief! Just watch!

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!

Drives my poor hubby absolutely crazy and utterly bemused and amused when I talk to The Dante almost daily! He wishes he too was The Dante (make sure the sound is on - bottom right hand corner of the page)

www.facebook.com/karen.vater.549/videos ... 936297048/

Wow! [mention]TheDante[/mention] ...
You have the most beautiful, healthy lettuce varieties and gardens!...I am in awe!...

I feel like a real weeny now having planned to only grow a bunch of Little Gem and Parris Island from last year's leftover seeds...

Your pictures have motivated me greatly...Thank you!...

Edit to say, somehow I missed page two of this thread and I just now saw your garden pictures [mention]MsCowpea[/mention] ...Outstanding!...

Ahntjudy, thank you. Dante/Karen’s pics have motivated me as well.

TheDante wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 7:32 am

PlainJane wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:00 pm Wow, fantastic. Love your kitty, too!

Thanks PlainJane =))) we adore them to bits… we have 4 of them, all siblings, couldn´t bear to separate them.

I have my suspicions that you are a cat lover too

Just uploaded some endearing pics and vids of our adorable kids =)))

viewtopic.php?f=77&t=454#p6578

The Dante almost was called The Olivia! We didn´t know boy cats had more than 2 nipples too! We would laugh ourselves silly whenever my dear hubby brings it up!

Yes, we have 3 little brats who all suckered us into rescuing them. We spoil them rotten.

Scored some good beer flats at Aldi's today and some other same depth but smaller boxes, too. I use these for planting cut and cut again lettuces, then after a couple go rounds, compost the whole thing , the worms love it. Starting a box tomorrow. Also got some of those really sturdy doubled boxes like the berries come in, so nice to store green tomatoes in at the end of season, or winter squash, just nice ones.

Such a good idea!

Why thank you! I like that I can move the smaller boxes as needed or if needed to sun or shady areas, too. Just slide a shovel under it if it if a bit wet to support it, or really most anything that will support the bottoms. And worms are such a terrific help so I like to make them happy to be in the garden and yards.

TheDante.....I'm extremely impressed with your lettuce growing skills !!! If you haven't written the book yet, you certainly could. And I will buy the first one.

Dan

Reviving this post to whinge about how lettuce hates me.

They look great. Then they just wild and die. Cant tell if its rot or underwatering. Probably rot but ive been super careful and they are all in the same conditions. But every other week a new one dies.

Tempted to just harvest what is left and cut my losses. Rocket is being way more cooperative.

Moth1992 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 4:18 pm Reviving this post to whinge about how lettuce hates me.

They look great. Then they just wild and die. Cant tell if its rot or underwatering. Probably rot but ive been super careful and they are all in the same conditions. But every other week a new one dies.

Tempted to just harvest what is left and cut my losses. Rocket is being way more cooperative.

Did I send non-lettuce greens? Perhaps those would grow better?

Also, for almost all things lettuce, Wild Garden Seeds is a good place to search. I just received their 2023 catalog. If you look at their site, let me know of anything that interests you. If I get around to placing an order, it will likely be in about a month.

Tormato wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:52 pm

Moth1992 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 4:18 pm Reviving this post to whinge about how lettuce hates me.

They look great. Then they just wild and die. Cant tell if its rot or underwatering. Probably rot but ive been super careful and they are all in the same conditions. But every other week a new one dies.

Tempted to just harvest what is left and cut my losses. Rocket is being way more cooperative.

Did I send non-lettuce greens? Perhaps those would grow better?

Also, for almost all things lettuce, Wild Garden Seeds is a good place to search. I just received their 2023 catalog. If you look at their site, let me know of anything that interests you. If I get around to placing an order, it will likely be in about a month.

Oh yes you sent me a bunch if stuff. Im hoping I make it through the waiting list of the community garden so I can plant a lot of it!! I planted a bunch of bulbs onion and garlic bulbs in my balcony so far . The onions are already peeking out

These lettuces were seedlings I got at my nursery early winter. They just hate me

For 2023 I'm growing 9 different varieties of lettuce and one Endive. Forellenschluss, Royal Oakleaf, Tennis Ball, Bronze Arrow, Tom Thumb, Sweet Valentine, Yugoslavian Red Butterhead, Prizehead, 4 Seasons, & Green Curled Rufec. A few of these I've never tried before and I'm excited to see how they do in my garden.

Dan

All lettuce has been put in the ground by now and is growing nicely. Probably will start picking Bronze Arrow in about 2 more weeks.

Im starting lettuces from seed and not having much luck. Its suposed to be an easy crop but i still struggle so much with it.

@Moth1992 are you direct seeding in the ground, or starting in flats? I prefer to start in flats if possible, because I end up washing seeds away if I have to water in the garden, or they end up in little pools jammed together. Some people cover them with boards until they start to sprout. It's easier to plant pre-started seedlings spaced out correctly, rather than having to thin them later and end up pulling too many twined together. Lettuce is pretty hardy though, and can take root damage as long as you keep it very moist for a few days afterwards. It may look limp for a day, but will perk up soon.
I had to direct seed this week because I had too much other stuff going on. I don't see any sprouting yet, but should in a day or two.
Lettuce seeds only keep well for a couple of years, and I have occasionally had a new packet of a specialty variety with poor germination. So it may not always be your fault.

The only variety that I won’t be planting again is Sangria - Harris had those as pelleted seeds, they were a pain to germinate and the plants I did get were very diva-esque. The only lettuce out of probably close to a dozen varieties to get tip burn, the first to get bitter when it wasn’t even that hot etc. My favorite is probably Newham, a green little gem type that has an absolutely amazing crunch and sweet flavor even in the heat (I do soak everything in ice water after harvesting which helps with the bitterness - we’ve had some hot stretches already).

Also I’ve tried comparing direct seeding and starting in flats and the transplants do MUCH better even when started at the same time. I suspect that birds get to the seeds and/or young cotyledons very quickly.

My lettuce patch is coming along pretty well.

Anyone ever try planting the butt end of a Romaine head in soil? Read about it the other day and am giving it a go. The Gotch

Welp...IT WORKS! And after just three (3) days? Fuggeddaboudit! The Gotch