Although the calendar may say March 6, the first day of spring is officially March 21. According to my local expert horticulturist, Stephen Froess of Anderson’s La Costa Nursery, “Right now is the perfect time to plant any seedling in the ‘greens family.’
“Here at the nursery, we have six different varieties of lettuce to choose from, including butterleaf, butter crunch, curly red, oak leaf and romaine. There will also be six packs of gourmet leaf mixes featured from our local growers. The secret to our success is that we grow all of our seedlings ourselves in our greenhouse, or purchase them from local growers. The seedlings are moved from the greenhouse to our garden beds, so they are acclimated to the North County weather conditions.”
Anderson’s co-owner Mark Smith gave his spring gardening advice. “Every vegetable seedling in our garden beds is ready to go and hardened off. This process assures us that the plants are ready to be transplanted. This year we will be having a complete selection to create a salad garden.
“Start with our lettuce and greens, then add heirloom tomatoes. Some of the varieties we love include Black Krim, Black Russian, Cherokee Purple and, of course, Roma and Beefsteak. The tomatoes will be available mid-March, which is the perfect time to put them in the ground.”
Know where your plants come from
The mistake that many newbie gardeners make is to purchase seedlings from larger box stores that come from vendors as far away as Alabama. The seedlings begin their life in a 90-degree greenhouse in the South or Northwest, and are transported to Southern California, where the temperatures can range from 50 degrees in the evenings to 80 in the daytime. Many seedlings go into shock if not “hardened off” in an outdoor environment, or suffer from becoming too leggy or producing blossoms too early, as in the case of tomatoes and peppers.
We advise all gardeners to ask questions and to inquire how the garden center grows its seedlings. After you have purchased your seedlings, you will be ready to plant in your raised beds or containers. In our upcoming issues, we will discuss how to design your garden beds to create the best environment for your salad garden.
Anderson’s La Costa Nursery is at 400 La Costa Ave., Encinitas. Other small greenhouses that grow their own seedlings include Pearson’s Gardens & Herb Farm, 1150 Beverly Drive in Vista, and Green Thumb Nursery, 1019 W. San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos.
Show off your greens in a gourmet salad
I recently had the pleasure of viewing a documentary featuring Alice Waters, the well-know chef and owner of Chez Panisse in Berkeley. She is recognized as the originator of “farm to table” cuisine, and her salads are considered the most simple yet perfect combinations of ingredients in the country.
After your greens have matured and you are ready to harvest them, try this recipe to wow your guests. Be certain to pick the leaves early in the morning and harvest with a small scissor. Rinse gently and spin dry in salad spinner. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Chez Panisse baked goat cheese with spring lettuce salad
(Adapted from www.thekitchn.com)
INGREDIENTS
- 12 ounces fresh, mild goat cheese (find a local vendor)
- Leaves from 4 sprigs thyme, chopped
- Leaves from 1 sprig rosemary, chopped
- 1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- ½ baguette, cut into eight pieces
- 1 teaspoon sherry or balsamic vinegar
- 1/s teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound baby lettuce or salad mix from garden, washed and dried
- ½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Shape goat cheese into eight 1-inch disks. Place in one layer in baking dish. Sprinkle with herbs and pour 1 cup olive oil over all. Cover and chill 12 hours. One hour before baking, pop them in freezer to firm up.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully remove cheese, roll in panko. Arrange on baking dish and bake 15 minutes, turning once.
- Toast baguette slices for five minutes before serving.
- Dressing: Whisk together vinegar, salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Put lettuce in large bowl, toss gently to cover.
- Divide lettuce among four plates, sprinkle with walnuts. Add to each plate two slices of goat-cheese and one slice of baguette. Serve immediately.
Jano Nightingale is a horticulturist who loves to cook from her vegetable garden. Contact her at [email protected] for her upcoming classes.
