Talk Dirt To Me

Gardening in Alaska presents big challenges, whether it's the extra effort in finding plants tough enough to survive our Zone 2-4 climate, communicating with like-minded Alaska gardeners, or keeping up with the latest trends, issues and solutions. We'll try to help with that. We'll also tour gardens from Homer to Anchorage to Wasilla to Willow whenever we get the chance, and post the best garden photos around. Presenting a forum about cold-weather gardening and for cold-weather gardeners is what we are all about. We hope you'll join us on the Talk Dirt garden blog.

Photographer and gardener Fran Durner (fdurner@adn.com) writes the blog.


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Jeff Lowenfels

A member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame, Jeff writes a weekly column on gardening in Alaska.

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Archive

Moose-free garden? - 11/5/2009 8:23 am

Book review: Black Plants - 10/29/2009 3:46 pm

November Garden Calendar - 10/28/2009 2:49 pm

Fall means apples and winter veggies - 10/26/2009 6:12 pm

Botany of Desire airs on Wednesday - 10/25/2009 5:39 pm

Some changes proposed for muni Horticulture Section - 10/22/2009 11:47 am

Verna and Frank Pratt recognized - 10/20/2009 10:35 am

Birds are gardeners' companions - 10/18/2009 6:58 pm

Anchorage is one of the best cities for community gardens - 10/14/2009 3:18 pm

Fall colors Outside - 10/14/2009 11:26 am

Take advantage of the sun to mow your leaves. - 10/12/2009 4:09 pm

A gardener's conundrum - 10/11/2009 5:00 pm

Out of the office and in the garden - 10/1/2009 5:07 pm

October Garden Calendar - 9/30/2009 11:25 am

Yes Virginia, maples can grow in Alaska - 9/29/2009 4:21 pm

TREErific tree tour on Wednesday at UAA - 9/28/2009 2:26 pm

Dig, bake and eat potatoes in Palmer Friday - 9/24/2009 4:09 pm

Still time to harvest - 9/23/2009 4:52 pm

Termination dust signals the end of summer - 9/22/2009 4:04 pm

I know you have photos, I know you do... - 9/17/2009 8:41 pm

More mushroom walks this weekend - 9/16/2009 8:47 am

Gardening grows camraderie - 9/15/2009 10:43 am

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Cut and come again salad days

Posted by talkdirt

Posted: June 24, 2009 - 2:17 pm

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This row of sheared Heirloom Cutting Mix lettuce will hopefully grow back for another harvest. Fran Durner photoThis row of sheared Heirloom Cutting Mix lettuce will hopefully grow back for another harvest. Fran Durner photo

In mid-May, I planted a row each of Heirloom Cutting Mix lettuces (Speckled Troutback, Blush Butter Cos, Red Ruffled Oak, Green Devil's Tongue, and Sucrine) Paris Market Mix (equal parts Rouge Grenobloise, Royal Oakleaf, Cimarron, Sucrine, Blonde Batavia and Red Salad Bowl lettuces with a tad of aromatic chervil, arugula, chicory and endive) and a full row of Italian arugula. So far the arugula has not bolted.
Seeds for the cutting mixes. Fran Durner photoSeeds for the cutting mixes. Fran Durner photo

I'm growing these lettuces and herbs as part of a baby "cut and come again" salad garden in which you can shear them down while they are still small and they'll grow back again. Last night the greens got their first cut for a salad dressed simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Delicious!

I'm not sure how long it will take for the cut part to grow again but I'm thinking of planting another three rows of different salad mix seed for later harvesting.