Notes from end of ’24 season and January of ’25

If you’ve experienced unusual cold in January as we have in my area I hope you are experiencing more normal temperatures as we go into February.

I’m loving the warm up to the 40s and sometimes 50s-  — although I’m not yet in full swing of my usual outdoors-some- everyday schedule, but I’ll get there.

Being knocked off my feet by falling boxes onto the hard floor last July slowed me down even more.  But exercises,  although not as quickly as I would like, are helping me to keep going.

Although able to move my leg and stand by the end of July, I wasn’t able to do any tasks that were designated for August — until the last days of August.

To Save Some Time

For easier access to lettuce seedlings for fall planting I used the grow bag at my garden entrance for starting Winter Density. Usually they’re started in smaller containers and remain on a rack near my back steps until time to transplant,

Just for your information: the seed was mine saved from the 2020 crop. My lettuce seed is usually viable for at least 5 years; sometimes longer.

By September 8 it looked fantastic as shown in the picture below. I had more than enough to plant and to harvest for meals as well.

Below is the bed I planted with seedlings from the grow bag. This lettuce was harvested at least every other day or every 3rd day for meals.during October, November and December. 

I took this picture above on De. 31 before I covered the bed in anticipation of the extreme cold that was to come in January. By enlarging the picture (clicking on it) you can tell it’s been harvested a lot.

The Easiest Way I’ve Found to Cover Beds

For easy covering and uncovering I first lay the covers along side the length of the bed.

Frames

The frames are concrete reinforcing wire. Each panel is about 5 feet long and bent to form a semi circle high enough to accommodate the plants as they start to grow. The squares of the frames are big enough to reach through easily and harvest.

Row cover fabric is my first layer.

Row cover fabric is my first layer.. This can be used alone if  the temperature is to fall only a couple of  degrees below  28ºF.

Most lettuces  survive just fine uncovered at 28º. Some do just fine at  a degree or two colder. If you want to play it safe – stick with 28º.

(Much to my disappointment, the variety Sierra Batavia has proved itself an exception. It doesn’t do well in the winter. )

A benefit of using row cover fabric for the first layer.

It absorbs a lot of condensation that will form on  plastic when used alone.

Although not always a problem, I’ve found that all that water can/could be a problem if for some reason  I can’t uncover the beds after at least ten days (7 is better) to get total air movement back to the lettuce.

Until this unusually cold January, I’ve never gone more than 10 days at the most, without being able to remove the covers from the frames for a few days of sun and  temperatures above 28ºF.

This year, judging from the weather forecast for January,  and anticipating the possibility of the beds being covered longer than 10 days,  I left the ends open.  Good thing, because I was not able to uncover them until Jan 28.

Was concerned at what I would find.   Fortunately the only negative was that the lettuce was a bit more limp than the firmer leaves I’d have been able to harvest had the covers been removed after about 10 days.  Once they were exposed to open air and sunshine for a few day they recovered nicely.

For the second layer I use greenhouse plastic.

This top layer I add when temperatures are forecast in the low 20s or below.

Securing the covers

Bricks along the side, earth J hooks and tomato stakes laid on top help anchor the covers.  How much you have to secure the covers will depend on how strong the wind will be.

The second bed of lettuce

It was mid October before I started Reine des Glaces for the second winter bed. The seed was from last years plants.

As you might recall — after all these years of growing Reine des Glaces lettuce – just found out last year that it does wonderfully in the winter! (You can read details in this post.)

Transplanted them to the garden October 29 and more on Nov. 11. They were tiny seedlings but started growing quickly.

Reine des Glaces does not look the same in winter as it does in the spring and summer.   (More beautiful in in warmer weather.)

I’m so excited about having an abundance of  this favorite in early spring this year. I’ll harvest mainly from the Winter Density in the winter.  This should  allow the  Reine des  Glaces (a/k/a Ice Queen) to produce enough to allow even a lettuce lover like me to eat their fill this spring and summer.

Didn’t finish Transplanting.

I planted more Winter Density in a container Nov. 1.  But I was way too slow and never got to transplant to the garden.  February should provide an opportunity for transplanting even though not timely.

I’m guessing that most likely they will not hold as well as the those planted earlier. Most likely they’ll bolt quickly, but I’ll stll get some lettuce.

If you want a continual supply of lettuce from fall through summer:

Succession Planting (at least two each in the fall, late winter, and spring) is your best bet to have lettuce in all stages most of the year.

If you don’t get to plant that many plantings  do what you can — the more succession plantings you have the more months of the year you’ll have lettuce.

Dill in Winter

You might recall my new method that I mentioned in a letter to “subscribers only”.to have fresh dill longer into summer. (Basically I just sowed a lot of dill seed in an area about 2 x 3 feet.) In addition to that being successful,  two dill plants volunteered during September in the bed with Winter Density. 

What a treat that was to harvest that dill when I uncovered the bed at the end of January after temperatures as low as 1º. It wasn’t a lot but a great taste of spring in the dead of winter.

Final Thoughts

I hope you’re enjoying lettuce and/or other greens from your winter garden.

Have you planted your onion seeds?  I had planned to plant the first of January, but that didn’t happen.  Finally planted January 26.  One variety germinated today. That’s always exciting to a committed gardener.  I know you can most likely relate.  :- )

Wishing you warmer days in February and good germination and growth for whatever you plant.

Theresa

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