Lettuces: Sown!

Since the Farmer's Almanac* told me that today was a good day to sow lettuce seeds**, I could be seen in my PJ's with a headlamp sowing seeds for Spinach "Bloomsdale Long Standing", Lettuce "Salad Bowl", and Lettuce "Schweitzer's Mescher Bibb at around 8 pm.  Hopefully we'll be rolling in the salad soon.

Schweitzer's Mescher Bibb:  1700's heirloom first brought to the US in the early 1900's.  Best grown in cool weather.  Forms small, tight, crisp heads of green leaves ringed with red.  Excellent flavor and appearance.  From Southern Exposure Seed Exchange purchased on clearance at Red Barn.  Days to emerge:  6-14.  50 days to maturity. This means I should expect to see baby lettuces by January 28, and able to harvest around March 27 (14+50).  This lettuce is behind the cauliflower/broccoli, as well as in the potato box on the north of where the artichoke will be.

Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach:  From FerryMorse purchased at Lowe's.  Days to emerge: 8-10. 45 days to harvest. Expect baby spinaches by January 24, and able to harvest by March 10.  Spinach is sown in front of the cauliflower as well as to the west of where the artichoke will be.

Salad Bowl Lettuce: From FerryMorse purchased at Lowe's.  Days to emerge: 7-10. 50 days to harvest.  Expect baby lettuces by January 24, and able to harvest by March 15.  This lettuce is only in the potato box, to the south of where the artichoke will be.


*did you know that there are TWO almanacs?  There's the Old Farmer's Almanac (this is the one that I normally see for sale at the store, and the website is almanac.com), and there is Farmer's Almanac (which the website is farmersalmanac.com).  Naturally, these two don't necessarily jive with each other.  So the Old Farmer's Almanac says the best days to plant lettuces are January 18 - February 1, or transplant between February 15 and March 15; Spinach is only set plants out from January 18 - February 8.  Carrots, which I will sow tomorrow, should actually be done on January 25 - February 8 (though the Farmer's Almanac says that Carrots and lettuces could also be done January 24/25)

**(actually any plant which you harvest the above-ground part is to be planted today; below-ground plants and transplants tomorrow and Thursday; all days are good for starting seed-beds),