baby lettuce and baby spinach experiment.

Mikesgardn 5/7/2017, 4:36 pm

Here in Maryland, I usually plant lettuce and spinach in mid March, and I usually start harvesting leaves when they mature in early June. Unfortunately that method only gives me a short time to harvest because summer heat starts around that time, and the lettuce turns bitter. So this year I tried something new. Instead of planting them at 4 per square foot, I planted them at 9 per square foot, with the intent of harvesting the leaves early before they mature and get crowded, and before it gets too hot.
Well that has really worked out well. I started harvesting them on May 1, a full month earlier than usual. So I should be able to get a full months worth of harvest before the heat sets in.
baby lettuce and baby spinach experiment. 2017ma10

baby lettuce and baby spinach experiment. 2017ma10

**Scorpio Rising** 5/7/2017, 9:52 pm

Lovely!

**sanderson** 5/9/2017, 3:18 pm

**llama momma** 5/10/2017, 6:30 am

Enjoy. It's beautiful. Wish I had done this!

**trolleydriver** 5/10/2017, 7:44 am

Excellent. It all looks so bright and fresh and edible. Well done.

quiltbea 5/10/2017, 10:59 am

Great idea. Its always good to start some things early that can be cut as baby leaf to get more out of your harvest. Thumbs up!

landarch 5/10/2017, 10:02 pm

very nice...everything looks green, healthy, and slug-fee. kudos.

CitizenKate 5/10/2017, 11:10 pm

Great idea!

Mikesgardn 6/10/2017, 8:05 pm

Here is an updated photo of my lettuce. I planted them more densely than recommended because we usually have a short spring season here in Maryland, so I planned to harvest them as baby lettuce before the hot weather sets in. Well, it worked great, but this spring has been long and cool, so the lettuce has gone bananas! It is supposed to jump into the mid 90's this week, so party over. baby lettuce and baby spinach experiment. 2017-413

baby lettuce and baby spinach experiment. 2017-413

**trolleydriver** 6/10/2017, 8:33 pm

Mikesgardn wrote:Here is an updated photo of my lettuce. I planted them more densely than recommended because we usually have a short spring season here in Maryland, so I planned to harvest them as baby lettuce before the hot weather sets in. Well, it worked great, but this spring has been long and cool, so the lettuce has gone bananas! It is supposed to jump into the mid 90's this week, so party over.

Looks fabulous Mike. A well done and successful experiment.

yolos 6/10/2017, 9:10 pm

Wow look at all that lettuce. I am jealous. I have already cut down all my lettuce which have all bolted. I guess I will have to try to grow some indoors in my Aero Garden or under my grow lights.

Mimi2 6/11/2017, 6:27 am

Wow, looks great. I have lettuce envy!

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