Spring time is lettuce time, and I think it’s about time to get mine into the garden. I had to pull these dudes out from under the indoor lights and start acclimating them to the outdoors last week. Growing a variety of lettuces not only adds texture, color, and interest to your garden, but it’s the best way to get all kinds of great flavor on your salad plate. I have a light green, rather floppy-looking lettuce called ‘May Queen’ and although their buttery leaves look as if they’re wilting, it’s just their growing habit.

I also have an upright variety called ‘Petit Rouge’ (a romaine type) which are burgundy-tinged. There’s one variety that’s taking it’s sweet time growing called ‘Mervielle des Quatre’ (‘Marvel of Four Seasons’) which grow in a kind of flat pattern. They’re all doing great this spring, but those 4″ containers are only going to go so far – they need to get into the garden bed. We’ve had gorgeous weather for days around here, but today it’s perfectly drizzly.

What’s considered a beautiful, sunny, and warm day to us can be hard on newly transplanted, cool-weather lovers like lettuce. So today’s weather is a good one for getting these lettuces into the ground. When it comes to lettuce, I start my first crop as early as I can indoors and slowly move them outside; it makes feel like I have a jump on the season. After a couple of weeks, I’ll plant more lettuce seed directly into the beds and forego starting them indoors from here on out. By succession planting, I’ll have steady lettuce production for a while.

At some point, we get some seriously hot weather and I’ll have some heat-resistant lettuces going. But even with those varieties, they aren’t at their best here in the SF Bay Area. I’m sure they’d do wonderfully all year closer to bay, but I’m about 45 minutes inland and the microclimate is quite different from those zones along the coast.

As the cool weather approaches again in the fall, I’ll direct seed my lettuce once again so that I’ll be harvesting for the winter. This time, I’ll plant them directly into my cold frame. I can usually grow lettuce all winter long (or very close to it) by using the cold frame. This year, I’ve planted lettuces in hanging baskets outside the front door – that should keep things interesting.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Ashman Garden Cultivator (1Pack)

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Solid Build—The Ashman Garden Cultivator/Tiller is strong in construction so that it can withstand heavy work in the garden. The blade and the shaft are coupled well for deep digging and uprooting the soil from the depths. It serves the purpose of cultivation very well. Create a blooming crop and watch it blossom and reap the benefits. Sharpened Fine piercing Blade—The blades are razor sharp and are made to pierce into any kind of soil and to serve digging, loosening soil, and weeding. The blades are rust-proof and have chip-resistant coating enhancing durability. Use it to control weeds, bury crop residue in the soil, and for preparing a proper seed bed. High-Quality Design—The thoughtful design incorporated to shape the blades in L shape helps dig deep into the soil and rip it from beneath for cultivation. This helps a lot when weeding. Dig well and plant well. The handle is made to fit in the hand well and can be held tightly to apply push and pull forces effectively. Practical Utility—The garden cultivator is made with “practical utility” as the core of its purpose. It serves all the necessary purposes when gardening. Helps mix soil, which will loosen it up, providing more nutrients for the crops.

Buy at Amazon

Gardzen 3-Pack 72 Gallons Garden Bag

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

High Quality Fabric - Gardzen Garden Waste Bags are made from 4.4oz/yd2 (150g/㎡) durable polypropylene fabric that can withstand heavy loads and rough handling. Please note that they should not be left out in the sun for long periods. Environmentally Friendly - These reusable yard waste bags are an environmentally friendly choice as they can be used over and over again, unlike disposable bags. The strong handles make it easy to carry the bags, even when they are full. These garden bags for debris allow you to complete your gardening tasks efficiently and effectively, while minimising waste and promoting sustainability. Large Capacity - With a height of 30 inches and a diameter of 26 inches, there is plenty of room for a large amount of garden waste. Whether it's leaves, branches or grass clippings, these yard waste containers can handle it all. A Must-Have For Gardeners - these leaf bags are an essential tool for managing garden waste and can make your gardening tasks much more efficient. The large capacity and durable construction make them ideal for storing and transporting various items. The yard bags can also be folded and stored compactly when not needed, saving valuable space. Package Included - A great value set of 3pcs heavy duty lawn and leaf bags. 3pcs white plastic hoops. There are 2pcs double stitched webbing handles in the top and 1pc strong webbing corner handles in the bottom.

Buy at Amazon

Corona E-Grip Trowel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Handle Material: Aluminum. Handle Length: 14-1/2 in. Overall Length: 14.5 in. Head Material: Aluminum. Handle Color: Red.

Buy at Amazon