Growing Fabulous Lettuce

 Fall and early spring is the time to plant your lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, kale, swiss chard, spinach, arugula and cilantro transplants

in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

What do you think chef extraordinaire and gardener
Jessica Monique thinks of the flavor of her just picked
from the garden gourmet lettuce? I totally agree!

Let Us Talk about Lettuce

Gardening Question

My lettuce is really big - do I continue pinching the outer leaves off for salads or do I cut them back? If I cut them back will they continue to grow?

Answer

For those of you who planted your lettuces in the fall - they are really big and full now in mid January. (See Jessica's photo above.) Hopefully you have been getting lots of good salad fixings from them. (Some lettuces can be cut and will sprout leaves again but we are referring to the type you can harvest from the outside as the plant continues to grow in the middle.)

Once you see your plants are starting to grow vertically,
that means they are fixing to flower and go to seed.
The main stalk will start to thicken and stretch upward.
Harvest beforehand or they will become bitter tasting.

Once you see your plants are starting to grow vertically, that means they are fixing to flower and go to seed. You want to harvest the whole head beforehand, otherwise they will be bitter to the taste.

Some lettuces have anywhere from two or more multiple heads
that make up that big beautiful head of lettuce. Some have only a single stem.

When you go to cut them back, you may find there are several heads that make up that one beautiful lettuce. You can just cut one stem portion if that is all you need right now and let the others continue to grow unless they are starting to grow up and flower. If it looks like they may be starting to flower, I would cut them all and use or share. You can let them go to flower, die and they will reseed. I usually pull them out to make way for new plants. Once cut back to the ground, they won't regrow.

This lettuce variety has two main stems below the lettuce head.

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Tips for Growing Tasty Lettuce

in the Rio Grande Valley

• Lettuce grows in cooler temperatures which means the fall and spring in our area.
• As most soil here is a heavy alkaline clay it is best to plant in raised beds either together or interspersed in your vegetable garden for good drainage or in 12" or larger containers that include holes for drainage so as not to drown the roots. 
• A good compost added to the soil will provide nutrients needed.

Nothing beats fresh picked lettuce for easy salad fixings.


• As lettuce has shallow roots it is best if the soil is kept moist so it will taste sweet but not so wet that it drowns and rots the roots or so dry that the roots dry out making it taste bitter.
• A drip system can help with this or water early in the mornings to prevent foliar diseases caused by late evening watering practices. Check the dampness of the soil of the top inch of the soil with your finger to determine if you need to water or not. 
• Often my other veggie plants don't need water but my lettuce plants have started to dry out due to the wind so I will water around their base and not soak my other plants.
• Rather than pulling up the plants to harvest, you can pinch off outer leaves or cut them straight across with a serrated knife, above the crown (where the base of the leaves meet the root) and some may grow back. See the first half of this article for more details. 
• For later season greens sow seed or plant transplants a couple inches from the original plant after the 1st harvest. Harvest the first crop before it goes to seed or once the second crop is big enough to start harvesting.

Enjoy the Bounty

Once harvested I use a salad spinner/colander to rinse lettuce leaves, than cover with water and a few ice cubes for several minutes, swish, drain until the water is clear then spin-dry. I wrap leaves in paper towels and place in the lettuce drawer till ready to eat. Tear them into bite size pieces. Enjoy with a fresh vinegar and oil dressing topped with fresh herbs, edible flowers and other goodies from the garden.

Hors D'oeuvres Anyone?

Eggplants grow very well here in the Valley due to our mild winters. Whenever everything else has given it up in the garden, in the heat of the summers, the eggplants seem to thrive even more. I think more people would grow them if they just knew what to do with them.

One of the market vendors makes homemade babaganoush (pureed roasted eggplant, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil) and says he's going to bring me some but I'm still waiting. I've read you can stuff and bake miniature eggplants with a mixture of feta cheese, pine nuts and roasted peppers which sounds very tasty.

As I've said before, I like them sliced, brushed with olive oil and grilled for a few minutes on either side for a quick, easy tasty side dish.

Here's another way that has my mouth watering, just looking at 'em. Many thanks to my friend Angela Barnard for sharing what she did with hers.

Mini Eggplant Parmesan made w/garden fresh basil,
eggplant and homemade tomato sauce.

My friend Angela Barnard shared her photos
above and the Mini Eggplant Parmesan recipe link she used to
make these tasty hors d'oeuvres from her "Pot Black" eggplant
(see plant below).

Eggplant “Pot Black”

A compact variety for container

growing that produces many

2-3 oz. glossy oval black

fruits over a long growing

season. Attractive plants and

tasty fruit. Sun.

I am so excited about these compact varieties as they make such a pretty container plant and make great gifts. When Angela's husband came looking for a birthday surprise for her last year, I suggested this plant, as it was the first time I had brought it to the market so I knew she hadn't seen it before. As a fellow Master Gardener, we are always looking for the new and unusual, at least to us and I knew she would appreciate this one.

Another great new container variety that is really producing as you can see here is the "Patio Baby". I plan on potting a couple or one of each of these two to put in the entryway of our front porch as my new fall decorating scheme. Another good reason for us to sit outside and enjoy our front porch.

Eggplant “Patio Baby”

A 2014 AAS Winner. An eggplant

variety that is great for pots & container

growing. Plants produce lavender

blooms and a big crop of shiny black

small fruits that is bitter free.

I just love how eggplants come in all sizes and shapes.
Here's another new variety for us that I think I failed to mention, in my last blog on eggplants.

Eggplant “Shooting Stars”

A showy variety with small (4") oval white

fleshed fruits that are vivid purple

with white stripes. Good in the garden

or pots.  Height 30"x20" wide. Sun.

Maybe the trick to get more people to consider trying eggplant is to call it an Aubergine - that's the British English name for it. Try a search using aubergine recipes and you'll have lots to choose from.
(Plant photos by Debbie Cox) 

Eggplant/Berenjena

Eggplant “Pot Black”

is a compact variety for container growing producing

many 2-3 oz. glossy oval black fruits over a long growing

season. Attractive plants & tasty fruit. Sun.

While the eggplant is considered a minor crop in the US, in the Orient it is more popular than either the tomato or potato according to Dr. Sam Cotner, author of “The Vegetable Book, A Texan’s guide to Gardening” (p. 141). We've found eggplants very easy to grow in our area. I have customers who have had their eggplants growing for several years at a time.

There are a lot of tasty ways you can prepare them. I like to slice the larger ones in ¼ to ½ inch slices and brush them with olive oil and grill them for an easy tasty treat. The long slender varieties are just the right bite-size when fried  using a batter recipe.

Basic Gardening Tips for any Planting

Eggplants, like other plants here, grow best in raised beds. Raised beds provide good drainage. They also grow well in large container pots. We planted each variety in a large pot (5 gallon size or larger) on our patio one year just to see how well each grew and tasted.

Scattering a couple inches of compost in your bed and incorporating into your soil beforehand not only improves plant growth but it will also improve moisture retention in the soil.

We like to use smaller tomato cages and fit them over the transplant when first planted to keep the plant upright when it’s loaded with fruit.

I pick any yellowed leaves from plants and throw these away along with any dead leaves that drop from plants.

Watering 

Water deep and frequently in dry or hot weather. But first check - If the first couple inches of soil are dry, than water.  In containers, water till the water runs out the hole in the bottom of the container, wait a few minutes and water deeply again. Add fertilizer several times during the growing season. Mulching around plants also helps retain moisture and adds nutrients to the soil as the compost breaks down.

I’ve found watering my garden early in the morning rather than late in the day has prevented a lot of foliage diseases and I have less bad bugs because of it.

Insects

“Pinholes in leaves from flea beetles are of no concern,” according to Dr. Bob Randall, author of Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers for Metro Houston. When watering early in the morning I’ll find pill bugs or roly polys eating on leaves and will flick them off with my finger. When watering,  I’ll spray water on the underside of leaves to discourage spider mites and aphids.

Harvesting

How do you when your eggplants are ready to pick? Some people think you have to wait till they grow really big but that’s not the case. You can pick them small or large as long as their skin is still shiny or glossy. When their skin becomes dull, their color starts to fade or they turn yellow, that’s a sign they are getting over ripe and bitter and should be harvested before then. If you leave overripe fruit on the plant it will slow production down. One plant will produce a huge number if you keep them picked.

When ready to harvest, use a knife or pruning shears to cut the stem right above the eggplant. Wear gloves when harvesting as some eggplants have a prickly stem end.

There are two varieties new to me I'm trying this year - Epic and Pot Black. All the rest are varieties we've had great success with:

“Black Beauty” – Classic big-fruited black eggplant. Large fruits are glossy, well shaped, and perfect for thick slices, just right for grilling, pan frying or eggplant parmesan. (This is the one you see in the store.)

“Clara” (F1) - Unique, large, white Italian-type eggplant. Green calyx. High-yielding & early bearing. Fruits 6-7" long x 4-5" wide. Full Sun.

“Dancer” (F1) Bright neon purple fruits w/green calyx. Plants are strong & high-yielding. Fruit is mid-sized, semi-cylindrical, mild tasting & non-bitter flavor.

Eggplant Epic F1 - Premium quality oval eggplant variety. Fruits are glossy purple-black and average 9" long x 3 1/2" wide. Strong, vigorous, upright plants to 3 feet tall. Sun.

“Fengyuan Purple” - Very long & slender Asian eggplant with fruit 12-18" long. Non-peel thin-skinned beautiful purple fruits. Creamy-white mild flesh w/no bitterness - great for grilling or stir fry.

"Pingtung Long" (Chinese type) - Slender violet-purple heirloom fruit 12-18" long w/excellent mild flavor & tender white flesh. Thrives in heat & humidity w/continuous large harvests. Sun & good soil best.

Eggplant “Pot Black”
Compact variety for container growing. Produces many 2-3 oz. glossy oval black fruits over a long growing season.  Attractive plants & tasty fruit. Sun.

Thai Green "Kermit" - Traditional Thai type eggplant. Small, ball-shaped fruit about 2" across - green marbled with white stripes. Productive. Used in Asian dishes, shish-kebab and grilling. Sun. Good Soil.

Eggplants are low cal, satisfying and are a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, fiber, manganese, B vitamins and many antioxidants. They certainly thrive in our weather conditions.

Feel free to share your experiences, photos and recipes.
Debbie Cox

Your Local Gardening Programs

FALL is for Gardening 2014 and Spring 2015

Do you want to learn more about gardening? I get a lot of questions about gardening that I wish I could answer more in-depth at the farmers market.

Don't wait - check these out.

Veggie transplants for fall garden planting.

Brownsville Wellness Coalition - Free Gardening Classes

Open to the public.
No experience necessary.
Held every first and 3rd Thursday of the month, 6:00 pm at the Parks and Recreation Center on 8th Street & Tyler St., Brownsville, TX
Find out more about the Brownsville Community Gardens.
Contact Elizabeth Garcia 956.459.3205.
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Texas AgriLife Extension Service Events
Call 956.361.8236 for programs below

2015 Master Gardener Program

(I highly recommend - have been a TMG since 96)
Sign up NOW to get on the contact list to be considered.
Fee and so many hrs. of training in exchange for volunteer hrs.
in the community earns you the title of "Texas Master Gardener."
Orientation starts the last week of January.
956.361.8236

FREE Vegetable Gardening Educational Program

Growing and Nourishing Healthy Communities Cameron County
All classes begin at 6 pm throughout Cameron County
from October 13 - November 13, 2014
Contact Scott Kunkle at 956.361.8236 for schedule.

An Introduction to Aquaponics:The Production of both Fish andVegetables in a Soil-less Environment

Friday, November 7, 2014
956.361.8236

Food Safety for the Small Acreage Producer/Webinar

Thursday, October 16, 2014, 9 am – Noon
956.361.8236
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Fall Garden Festival and Free Gardening Workshops

North San Juan Park on Saturday, October 18, 2014, 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Free workshops for families, plant sale. Topics include a hands-on presentation on Plant Propagation, How to Make a Square Foot Garden, Composting, Preventing Citrus Greening Disease, Rainwater Harvesting demo and Fall Vegetable Gardening.
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Permaculture Design Certification - FREE

Begins October so sign up now.
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If you know of more, please let me know so I can pass them along!

Basil Harvest - Goodies to Share

With an abundance of fresh basil, I recently made basil salt several different ways along with fresh pesto using the tiny tasty leaves of Pistou basil. In place of pine nuts I used salt and pepper flavored pistachios I had on hand I bought from Yvonne and Fidel at the farmers market. After several requests to share the recipes - I decided to post here -  follow the links below.

 Valentino basil has such lovely large leaves and wonderful flavor.
I still have a gigantic bowl of Red Ruben basil to use up.
Hmm... what's next, any suggestions?

Enjoy Your Bumper Crop of Basil Year Round 

with Fresh Basil Salt

I made four batches of fresh basil salt following Hometalks' easy instructions link above. Using kosher certified Mediterranean coarse sea salt for three batches and one batch using pink Himalayan salt, I learned to tell what it looks like when its dry enough to be done. 

I have to say my favorite tasting is the Himalayan batch.

Not quite dry yet.
Photos by Debbie Cox

I use a salt grinder daily so had containers on hand of the sea salt. I put one batch back into the processor after it dried to grind it up further but left the other batches coarse. What great gifts for myself, oh and others. Hometalk also provided a dip and dish to utilize the fresh sea salt and more fresh basil below - looks yummy!

Bountiful Tomato and Basil Harvest / 

Caprese Crostini Skewers

Thanks to several of my herb friends, Mary Nell, for turning me onto the above and Dorothy Earley for the mixed herb pesto recipe below she so generously shared. Enjoy!

Dorothy Earley's

Mixed Herb Pesto

• 1 cup basil
• ½ cup oregano
• ½ cup mint
• ½ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 t lemon juice
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 t salt

Place basil, oregano, mint, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and run it on high until all ingredients are finely pureed.  Remove from blender or food processor and add Parmesan cheese and salt. Mix well. Serve with pasta.

I believe the real secret to great pesto, is not just fresh sweet basil, but a really fine Parmesan cheese. Grate it yourself just before you need it. And it doesn't hurt if you use the best olive oil you can find either.

For the Birds

Check out this nice looking shrub!  The birds love the berries and it looks great in the landscape used as a shrub or a tree. It can take sun or shade. You can find these at Palm Gardens in Brownsville from Morris Clint.