Plant: Lettuce / Cabbage

Garden Prep Pointers: 

*Select full sun location with good drainage

*Till soil thoroughly, mix in 15-15-15, or organic fertilizer (amount specified on package).

Planting Season: 

*Lettuce - Seeds: Sow Seeds directly in garden mid March - early May

         -Plant Fall crop late August

*Cabbage - Transplants: Plant outside mid March - mid May

        - Plant Fall crop late August

Plant Selection Tips: 

*Lettuce - choose seed varieties according to head vs leaf and sow accordingly

*Cabbage - waxy bluish or red leaves with no holes.  Check for bugs, and plants should not be stretched or tall.

Planting Guide:

*Leaf Lettuce - Sow seeds lightly in row, cover with between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of soil.

*Cabbage - Plant 18-24" apart to allow space for heads to develop.

*Plant top of roots even with soil surface

*Water thoroughly

Upkeep:

*After planting, watch for bugs (primarily green worms) as cabbage loppers can destroy a head very quickly.

*Water daily.

Fruiting Habits:

            *You may harvest lettuce and cabbage at whatever point you are happy with the size.

            *Waiting too long may cause a lettuce crop to be damaged from summer heat, try to harvest lettuce by mid June.  Cabbage can usually survive the heat, but grows best in cooler weather.

Growers Favorite Varieties:

            *Lettuce - Mesculin

            *Cabbage - Early Thunder or Blue Thunder

Grower Notes:

*Gardening doesn't end when the weather cools down in September, be sure to plant that late crop of Lettuce, Cabbage, Peas, Cauliflower, and Broccoli.  Also, thinking ahead Fall bearing raspberries and apple trees will extend your garden bounty. 

Fruits of Knowledge: 

*Spinach looses so much of it's nutrients after harvest.  Just one day after picking can be the difference in nutrients between Popeye and Gumby.  Harvest just what you're going to eat that day.  (Think about how little nutrients spinach at the grocery store must have as well)