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Garden beauty
Black Seeded Simpson loose-leaf lettuce holds its visual own as an ornamental.
Photo credit: L.A. Jackson
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Rugosa rose hips
When blooms fade, Rugosa rose bushes yield an abundant burst of flavorful rose hips.
Photo credit: L.A. Jackson
Even though summer is reaching its sizzling peak, August is the time to start planting cool-season vegetables. One of my favorites to add to the late garden is loose-leaf lettuce. Sure, there are other types of lettuce, but loose-leaf is quite tasty and very nutritious. It is also readily found in garden centers and matures quickly. Need a bonus reason? It’s good-looking, too.
To get a jump on the growing season, sow loose-leaf lettuce seeds in indoor starter pots starting in early August. Not in a hurry? Wait until the beginning of September to directly set seeds or, when they are available, young, store-bought plants.
The trick to growing lettuce from seed is to plant them, not bury them. Translation: light actually helps the seeds germinate, so simply sprinkle them on top of the soil and then gently press them down into the dirt.
The garden site should be a sunny, well-worked, fertile location. For best results, thin or space young plants about 6 inches apart. Lettuce has very shallow roots, so if the rains don’t come, supplemental watering is a must. Additional plantings every two weeks deep into September will assure a steady supply of garden-grown crunchies for autumn salads.
Smart harvesting of loose-leaf lettuce begins with picking the outer leaves first. This gives the developing inner leaves time to mature and reach their full, tasty potential.
The ol’ veggie patch is an obvious spot to grow loose-leaf lettuce, but, as I mentioned, it can be a rather pretty little plant, so try introducing it in ornamental borders to add some fancy foliage flashes. Also, since this edible eye-catcher likes good drainage, it makes an interesting choice for extra visible vibe to fall planters. Just remember to avoid using pesticides unless they are formulated for use on vegetables.
As far as particular picks that combine visual zing with savory flavor, many loose-leaf cultivars fill the bill. Even the most common selection, Black Seeded Simpson, has glowing green foliage that will light up any mixed planting. Another old standard, the heirloom Green Oak, sports handsome, deeply lobed leaves, and it also has a crimson-tinted counterpart called Red Oak. Need even more zing? The easy-to-find Red Sails cultivar displays crinkly foliage that is deeply saturated with sultry shades of maroon.
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August in the Garden
• Allow a few plants of such free-seeding herbs as dill, basil and chives to mature and produce seeds in the garden, which will readily resprout next spring.
• Hollies and pyracanthas (aka firethorn shrubs) will benefit from being watered during extended heat waves. If stressed by hot, dry conditions, they could drop their immature berries.
• Time to crank up that compost pile! Toss any lawn grass clippings or spent plants from garden clean-ups into the bin and continue mixing in organic “fuel” from the coming autumn’s leaf fall.
• Feathered garden friends enduring this summer’s heat will appreciate it if you keep the bird feeder well-stocked and the bird bath filled with fresh water.
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Tip of the Month
Most varieties of roses—the main exception being many hybrid teas—will develop rose hips after their blooms fade. If these small fruits are clipped off, a rose won’t waste energy on their development, and that means increased future flower production. However, rose hips are not only edible but packed with vitamin C. Their tart flavor has often been used to add a zesty snap to teas, syrups, jellies and sauces, so think about letting a few clusters develop until late autumn and then harvesting them for culinary experiments. Just be sure they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. If this first jump into the rose-hip eating experience has you hopping for more, consider planting a few Rugosa roses—they are the champs when it comes to delivering impressive harvests of plump fruit.
L.A. JACKSON is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.