Last night we had our first harvest from our pallet gardens. It seems the muggy, damp weather did wonders for the lettuce crops and now we are swimming in it.
I still have no idea what kind of lettuce this is but it sure tasted good when I made a “big salad” last night for dinner.
Endive, have you tried it? I’ll be sharing my new favorite endive salad recipe a little later today.
As a rule, endive can taste a little bitter. The less you chew the leafy greens, the better.
Toy Bok Choy. I guess I didn’t harden the plant off well enough because it started to bolt. Once a plant starts to bolt there is nothing you can do about it. Luckily, bok choy leaves are delicious!
Endive, mystery lettuce and toy bok choy leaves.
Here is what the pallet garden looks like this morning. I know this might sound sort of weird, but I have a hard time harvesting anything {especially lettuce and cabbages} when they are all lined up in pretty little rows. Or in this case, pallets.
That first cut is torture. It totally messes with the design I tried so hard to create and nurture along. It’s like someone came along and slashed my painting or something.
Again, I know I am a total nut. But still, a garden is such a mini work of art. It’s hard to let go.
The celery is chillin’ like a villain.
And last but not least the romaine. It’s so pretty I smile every time I walk by. Even if 1 head is missing.
How is YOUR garden growing?
Do you get anxious when you have to harvest those first vegetables too, or am I just weird?
~Mavis
Want to learn more about wood pallet gardening and how I put mine together? Click on the pallets above and it will take you to my first pallet garden post of the year. You’ll also learn what to look for when choosing a pallet.
Ayrie Joyce says
I think your mystery lettuce is Red Deer’s Tongue. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but is it sort of thicker?
Also, do you know about the warm bacon dressing recipe from Simply In Season for your Endive? Totally delish.
Cheryl says
Totally know what you mean about not wanting to mess up the rows and look of the garden by harvesting.
In my square foot garden I have one of 16 carrots that did germinate in one of the squares and it makes me nuts, but of course no one else even notices….. yep, I think we are both crazy.
Mavis says
Ha!
Lisa says
My tortoise loves endive, but didn’t know what it was called until you pointed it out in your garden. Guess I should grow some!
Mavis says
Try it. I thought it was super easy to grow. 🙂
Diane says
We’re drowning in lettuce, too – a big main-dish salad for dinner (with salami, marinated mozzarella, olives and roasted red pepper) last night, and Asian ginger/pork lettuce wraps scheduled tomorrow night.
I hate disturbing the pretty, orderly arrangement of the lettuces in the garden, too, but I rarely harvest an entire head at once, since there are only two of us to eat it. I cut a few leaves at a time from multiple plants, and with the cool Portland spring, the lettuce usually keeps producing new leaves until midsummer before it bolts. (BTW, I have a Red Romaine lettuce that looks a little like your “mystery lettuce,” Mavis…it’s delicious and beautiful!)
Meredith C. says
That sort of looks like Red Sails lettuce.
Jennifer H. says
I am drowning in lettuce too!!! I am with you on the look of the garden…. So hard to harvest when it looks so nice, I don’t want to mess it up!!!! My ocd kicks in!!!!!
Mavis says
Ha! Glad I’m not alone.