We began our 2023 outdoor garden in late January…indoors. 18 cells of spinach started on January 29. Only 15 cells germinated, but there are multiple spinach plants in several cells. We Started them in 3.5″ deep seed starter trays. Spinach does not like to be transplanted too often, so they will go directly from seedling tray to the leafy green bed in April.
The good news. We peeked inside of the leafy green bed this last weekend. Last August’s spinach plants are still growing!? We will have spinach to harvest before these seedlings get transplanted. Bonus!
Lettuce was started from seed on February 19. Four different varieties, 18 cells per variety. The variety we had the most success with in 2022 was Loose Leaf Blend. We added three more; Tri Colored Romaine, Gourmet Blend, and Black Seeded Simpson. The cover photo above really shows off the Gourmet Blend and our tried and true Loose Leaf Blend.
Come April, several beds will have some leafy greens in them, and one or two beds will have bulb onions…but that is a post for a different day.
Ron's Ramblings 
Great post! It’s always exciting to start a new garden and see the progress. I’m particularly interested in the different varieties of lettuce you’re growing. Have you noticed any significant differences in taste or texture between the Loose Leaf Blend, Tri Colored Romaine, Gourmet Blend, and Black Seeded Simpson? Fantastic job on your gardening endeavors! I’m eager to know about your experience with different types of lettuce. Looking forward to reading more updates on your garden’s progress.
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We planted just the Loose Leaf Bland in 2022 and have not tasted anything yet. We will follow up in April when the seedlings are transferred to our leafy green bed.
The loose leaf was VERY productive in fall (late August until hard frost in early November). Fresh salads with lettuce and spinach every day. We loved that!
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