Show Date: 29 Jun 09

I feel like a rabbit with all the lettuce I’ve eaten lately!

‘Gourmet Blend,’ from Burpee, is my favorite mix of loose leaf lettuce. I’ve been adding the tomatoes I dried last year until this years tomatoes are ripe. They offer a burst of flavor and a chewy texture. Herbs are easy to grow and are another great addition to salads. Tarragon, Parsley, ‘Spicy Globe’ Basil and chives to name a few. Oh, just not all together! Nasturtiums, pansies and daylily buds are also tasty and look great in your salad.

Burpee 'Gourmet blend'

The Gourmet Blend from Burpee in particular:

Gourmet blend from Burpee

I’m not much for iceberg lettuce as it tends to get bitter quickly. I like going out and picking the amount of “greens” I want. I like the variety of color and texture in looseleaf varieties. Adding looseleaf lettuce to containers or hanging planters adds great accent. Make a salad bowl! Using 2 hanging baskets with fiber liners, fill them each with soil, lay cardboard on top of one so that you can flip it on top of the other one without making a huge mess! Pull the cardboard out and then use wire to attach the hanging baskets where they meet. Cut x’s in the liners from 3 to 6 inches apart and plant your transplants.