Spring is on the way!

Spring is definitely trying to come early this year. It’s still February but lots of daffodils are up, birds are taking on their spring mating colors, the maple trees are a haze of red waiting to burst forth and that means…it’s time to plant seeds!

In addition to plants that won’t go into the ground until May, like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, which I’m staring indoors now, I’m also starting some seeds indoors that can go out earlier. For more on getting seeds started check out this post…https://creeksidekitchenandgarden.com/planting-for-spring/

Lettuce can be started early

Six weeks ago I planted lettuce seeds. Lettuce seeds are tiny and don’t need but a light dusting of soil to cover them so there were many little lettuce plants in my cow pot planters. After three weeks, when they got to be about an inch tall, I thinned them down to one per three inch pot.

They hung out under the grow lights another three weeks until they were about two inches tall and then they went into the garden under a greenhouse cloche I got from Gardeners Supply. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/sunny-forcing-cloches-set-of-3/8600075.html

The cloches have been fantastic! I put one over a pot that has my tarragon in it. My poor tarragon does not like to come inside over the winter, but last year it didn’t particularly like being in my cold frame either. This year, I popped the cloche over it and it looks incredibly healthy and vibrant! As does the lettuce:-)

Cool weather planting tips

The six lettuce plants went into the ground at the end of February. They’re cold hardy varieties and if I need to, I can always cover them if it looks like frost. When the ground is this cold, it’s hard for plants to pick up nitrogen, so I’ll feed these with a liquid seaweed fertilizer until the temps warm up more.

I am now planting two lettuce plants per week indoors so that as I harvest what is outside, I will have plants to replace them with until it’s warm enough to direct sow outdoors. Even then, I may still plant in individual planters. It’s hard work thinning lettuce in the garden bed. Much easier when it’s up on the counter!

And, of course, I would never throw those lettuce thinnings away. They were the green base for a winter red beet and Cara Cara orange salad.

Red Beet and Orange Salad

I love beets and although I don’t have any in the garden yet, they are plentiful at the store. I also love the combo of the sweetness of beets with the sweet but tart tang of oranges. This recipe is easy to modify to match your mood. Add some feta cheese if you’re looking for creamy and salty or slivered almonds if you want some crunch. Super easy to make, this stores well for at least three days in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of cooked beets, peeled (boiled, steamed or roasted)
• 1 small orange, supremed (about a quarter cup)
• 1 tablespoon of orange juice
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of oil (olive or avocado would be my picks)
• 1 teaspoon of mustard, preferably dijon
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds (optional)
• Lettuce or baby greens

Directions

Cook the beets however you like them. Boiled or steamed is probably easiest and, depending on the size of your beets, should take about an hour. Roasting really brings out the earthy flavor of beets but unless you have other vegetables to roast at the same time, uses a lot of energy and in the summer, can heat up the kitchen.

When the beets are cooked cut them in about a half inch dice and put them in a medium bowl.

Supreme the orange. To supreme an orange, cut both ends off, then using a paring knife, cut the peel away from the orange. I used a Cara Cara orange for this salad as they are plentiful in the store now. Regular oranges would work just fine as well.

Finally, use the paring knife to cut in-between the membranes that hold the orange segments together. Do this over a small bowl so that you catch the juice as the segments come free.

When all the pieces are free, squeeze the remaining orange center in your hand into the bowl which should give you at least a tablespoon of orange juice, then cut the orange into roughly half-inch pieces.

Add the oranges to the bowl with the beets and the cheese and/or almonds if you’re using them.

In the small bowl with the orange juice add the balsamic vinegar, oil, mustard, cumin and salt. Whisk together and then pour over the beet and orange mixture.

I used a banana vinegar I purchased from Rancho Gordo. They primarily sell beans but have some great spices, hot sauces and vinegars, too. Surprisingly, the banana vinegar tastes a lot like apple cider vinegar to me. Maybe just a little bit mellower.

Serve the beet salad on top of fresh greens.