After culling and washing, we harvested exactly 1 pound of baby salad greens. It was a combination of Black Seeded Simpson, Buttercrunch, and Prizehead. The Black Seeded Simpson and Prizehead were the more prolific of the 3 varieties. They were direct sown in late November. If you look closely at the front of the cold frame you can see a light in the bed. We've been running it for 3 hours in the morning before just before sunrise. We also lay heavy rubber mats over the frames at night time to insulate the beds.
Belle made that great greek salad (pictured) out of it this weekend. She's visiting her family now in Washington, while I stay home with the boys. Hmmmm? I'm looking at the rest of the greens, and the best I can come up with is a little grated cheese and oil. I know the boys will be glad to see mama when mom gets home next week!
:) I am going to build one of them here soon too! I get excited seeing all the sprouts carrying on under the stairs. They're pretty tasty for being CFL derived. (Im thinning them out... really..see).
ReplyDeleteYou certainly won't regret it! CFL has certainly helped us a little.
DeleteAren't you the blessed one :o) That's what you get when you try! Belle will be envious if she doesn't get home soon :o)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ginny, we're trying!
DeleteIsn't it wonderful to be able to have fresh home grown food in the winter? You better feed those boys well while Belle is away!
ReplyDeleteIt is truly wonderful! I'll be sure to keep the boys full. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed with the harvest!
ReplyDeleteWheres theres a will theres a way!!! The joys of gardening lettuce growing in snow, well done!!!
ReplyDeleteHow lucky to have fresh lettuce in the winter!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful harvest. My biggest problem growing in the winter is that I don't have sun on the main beds. I use the rock wall garden, but it turns out that the cold air seeps through the wall. So it doesn't stay as warm as it should. I may try to grow things in the circle garden, but even that bed doesn't get sun in in December and January.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear your garden is shaded in the winter. I remember you convinced a neighbor to move a tree for you. A cooler garden helps me understand your incredible success with lettuce and Asian greens. When we bought this house we weren't even thinking about the sun's path in winter. We got lucky with a south/southeast facing hillside. I think it helped the melon patch this summer too.
DeleteWhat a wonderful greens harvest! Now that the days are slowly getting longer your cold frame greens will continue to thrive. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't really thought about the days growing longer, but you're right. Barring any extended freezes we should have lots of veggies in our future.
DeleteBeautiful cold frame of greens and that salad looks great. The weather has moderated here in Washington although it is windy and stormy - so hopefully Belle will have a good visit here. :D
ReplyDeleteThank you kitsapFG, with a few more days in Washington than Belle has this time, we'd sure love to meet you and see your garden
DeleteI agree. It's pretty cool. I remember reading Coleman for the first time and almost immediately going out and making some sort of makeshift cold frame which eventually morphed into a polytunnel like thing. Haven't made one yet at this new place and boy do I miss it.
ReplyDeleteNice to have fresh greens. A cold frame here would have to be heated and most winters under 100" of snow. This year might have been an ideal time to have one.
ReplyDeleteIt's really nice. That's a lot of snow! I'm new at this, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that it's as much a question of hours of sunlight as it is warmth. I'm not sure what your latitude is, but with 100" of snow light must be a challenge too.
DeleteThe greens look great. Now I know you can come up with something good to eat while Belle is away. How about a nice wrap with those greens?
ReplyDeleteBelle's done wraps before, but that's way out of my league. I used her left over garnishments to finish the greens tonight.
DeleteOh to have a fresh salad!! It's too cold for us this time of year to have lettuce even in the cold frames. All we have now is carrots and a little mache.
ReplyDeleteI remember how full your cold frames were not long ago!
ReplyDeleteHow cool! You guys have made it so far in just a year... sometimes we get caught up in all the future plans that we have that we forget just how far we have already come.
ReplyDeleteCongratulation! I am so happy that your frame is a success. I wish I have some lettuce too. But its too hot at the moment here.
ReplyDeleteThank you MK girl. You'll have lettuce this fall. I know it!
Deletelovely looking cold frame set up you have there! I'm on the look out for some lumber to build some; I've found three old glass shower doors to use for the tops.
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ReplyDeleteSounds perfect! We got our glass in one frame from throw-away, double pane windows. They're a little heavy, but I think the double panes help w/insulation.
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