Beginning a New Year of Lettuce

My German Grandfather - my OPA - had a wonderful garden, complete with a Spring bed of lettuce, planted from seed and nurtured through the Spring and Summer seasons beneath a simple cold frame he used from year-to-year. The garden produced - what seemed like - a never-ending supply of lettuce that was crisp, sweet and delicious.

Although I always wished I could produce such a fine garden with the same quality of lettuce and other produce, I've never been able to duplicate his 'green thumb'; but, I did learn a valuable tip from my friend, Mary that has given me the tools and inspiration to get my lettuce growing in my own little garden:

1. Buy lettuce when it's new to the farm stand, and on sale during the early part of the season. 
2. Plant them 6-12" apart in the garden where space is available, or in wide shallow (6-10") potting containers with enriched plant soil from the store or the garden. 
3. Water and watch daily as they grow.
4. Once the lettuce plants have established themselves and start getting more leaves, you can start harvesting their leaves. Choose those leaves on the outside of the plants, pull them off the plant gentl,  and create a small salad. Add your own tomatoes, green onion and celery, as appropriate.

Enjoy your harvest!

Andrea