This is a very short post.
Not sure where the week went, it came to an end and I accomplished very little.
As many of my readers know I have been experimenting with growing different crops in containers of different sizes and shapes.
Do container’s size and shape make a difference? Yes and no, depending on the crop. For leafy crops (lettuce, baby bok choy, napa, kohlrabi) a long rectangular container is better, for shrub-like crops and root crops (eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, carrots) a tub-like container is better, for some crops (beets, broccoli,) either will do.
Today I am posting photos of lettuce and spinach and will do a photo post on other crops at a later date.
The photo below shows 5 Bronze Mignonette Lettuces in each of the container. All were transplanted on the same date.
Bronze Mignonette Lettuces. Top: in Foam Ice Chest. Bottom: In Window Box.
All 5 Bronze Mignonette Lettuces in the window box (bottom of photo above) grew well even though they were close to each other they each still had room on the side of the box to spread.
The 4 Bronze Mignonette Lettuces at the corners of the foam ice chest (top of photo above) grew well, the one in the center did not grow as well as because it was getting boxed in by the other 4 and had no room to grow.
Not sure why the differences in the colors of the lettuce in the foam ice chest versus the ones in the window box, they should be the same.
Removed the lower leaves from each of the lettuce plant (photo below).
Bronze Mignonette Lettuces. Top: in Foam Ice Chest. Bottom: In Window Box.
Got a nice basket of tender leaves (photo below), should last until I harvest again.
Bronze Mignonette Lettuces
Fertilized the lettuce after harvesting the lower leaves. The plants will continue to grow and in a few days I will be able to harvest more lower leaves. How long will I be able to do this? Not sure but hope for a while even though the weather is getting cold.
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I find spinach do better in a long rectangular container also.
I wanted baby spinach so planted 2 rows of spinach, closely spaced, in the window box, a single row and proper spacing would yield larger plants and larger spinach leaves.
Bloomsdale Spinach in Window Box
Removed the lower leaves from each of the spinach plant (photo below).
Bloomsdale Spinach in Window Box
Also got a basket of baby spinach leaves (photo below), basket was not as full as the lettuce but still a good amount.
Bloomsdale Spinach
Fertilized the spinach after harvesting the lower leaves. The plants will continue to grow and in a few days I will be able to harvest more lower leaves. Again, like the lettuce I have no idea how long I will be able to do this but am hoping for a long, long while as spinach are quite hardy.
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Made a Smoked Salmon Salad with the lettuce and spinach.
Smoked Salmon Salad
There is no recipe as no recipe is required for this salad. This is what I did:
∗ Lined salad plates with lettuce and spinach (oops the spinach got buried)
∗ Arranged sliced granny smith apple (or apple of your choice), smoked salmon chunks and sliced avocado on top (yep, overdid it with the apple and avocado)
∗ Garnished with walnuts and dried cranberries
∗ Drizzled with a simple vinaigrette dressing.
I made a simple vinaigrette dressing with fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
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Copyright © by Norma Chang. All Rights Reserved. Do not use/repost any photos and/or articles without permission.
Do visit Dave at Our Happy Acres for more Harvest Mondays.
Garden to Wok 
Love your smoked salmon salad Norma.
My lettuce seems to be struggling a little – think it might have something to do with the cats walking through the box like its their playground.
Have a beautiful week ahead.
🙂 Mandy xo
Hello Mandy,
Thanks, the combo was great. Maybe you could put chicken wire or bird netting over your lettuce to keep the cat out. A beautiful week to you too.
Brilliant idea Norma. I will get to covering the lettuce asap. xo
Hello Mandy,
Did it work?
So far so good. 🙂 Thanks Norma. xo
Hello Mandy,
Excellent.
What a fun post, Norma! I haven’t planted any greens in containers in a while now, but you’ve inspired me! You salad looks delicious, also 🙂 Any salad with avocado is a “win” in my book!
Hello Melissa,
Thanks. Have been noticing more about what’s happening with my crops now that I am writing about them.
That salad looks and sounds lovely! I like using window boxes too for greens. I hope to plant some like that in a week or two when my seedlings are ready.
Hello Dave,
Looking forward to reading about what’s growing in your window boxes.
How interesting – I love experiments like this & those window box lettuces have done so incredibly well. They are probably a lot cleaner and easier to deal with than those I have in the beds as well. Oh and that salad looks delicious – it has ALL of my favourite ingredients!
Hello Margaret,
Yes, the crops in the containers are a lot cleaner and easier to deal with than those in the garden and because they are portable I move them to a shady spot when I harvest.
You make it look so easy, Norma when I see how beautiful your garden has flourished! You sure made one tasty looking salad. Doesn’t get any fresher when you use lettuce from your garden!
Hello Sandra,
Growing crops in containers is really easy as long as you remember to water, do give it a try.
That’s a fantastic salad, Norma. It must have tasted particularly great using those salad leaves from your own garden.
Hello Angie,
Thanks, the salad was super delicious.
This post taught me so much Ms. Norma. I found out I can possibly grow my own peppers and broccoli in a smaller tub which takes up less space. I was so excited to read that, that I didn’t know what to do. Thanks for this amazing advice.
Hello Kia,
Put only ONE pepper plant in a tub, a few broccoli plants in a tub is OK.
Hello Norma, did you find the darker brown tip lettuce bitter? Cheryl
Hello Cheryl,
No I did not find the darker brown tip lettuce bitter, a bit stronger flavor but tossed with the dressing was perfect for me.
Hello Again Norma, I was just curious thank you! I also grow a citrus and herb and vegetable garden(s)-I love watching things planted thrive and then use in recipes! I love your blog! Cheryl
Hello Cheryl,
Like your curiosity, that’s how we learn. Wish I could grow citrus.
Yes, it is wonderful to have lemons, limes, coconuts, etc. we are very lucky!
Your lettuce and spinach look fantastic. I wonder about the color difference of the lettuces, maybe the styrofoam is insulating and moderating the temperature of the soil. Doesn’t lettuce get darker and redder the more it’s been exposed to cold?
I’m thinking about trying potatoes in pots since they have to be planted in early spring and our spring tends to be too muddy.
Hello Phuong,
I don’t know but will pay attention and see if I can come up with a theory.
Potatoes grow well in containers, I successfully grew them in foam ice chest. Go to my Harvest Monday, August 24, 2015 post, and scroll down.
I am so envious of your lettuce! Are you retired? Because since I’ve retired I’ve become more busy, and I don’t know where the time goes!
Hello Mimi,
I am retired, end of December will be 2 years. Have a long to-do list to tackle after I retired, guess what? the list is getting longer as I seem to have less time. What’s wrong with this picture?
I know! That’s what I mean!
Hello Mimi,
But we are happy and that’s what counts.
Yes, we are! But aren’t we still working harder than our retired husbands?!!
Hello Mimi,
But we are doing what we want to not what we have to.
Hi Norma, your notes about the type of containers are very helpful; do you generally empty them for the winter and store inside? I moved Oscar into the living room, I was absolutely devastated to find that someone ate the three largest lemons (larger than my thumbnail), but there are a lot more so today I pulled off some of the smaller ones. I’m really hoping to get some lovely lemons this year.
Hello Eva,
No I do not empty them instead I line them up on the side of my shed. My thinking is that if there are any bugs in the soil the cold will kill off some if not all and the snow will add some nutrients to the soil which I reuse. After spring thawing, I enrich the soil with granular fertilizer and well rotted cow manure.
I hope Oscar produce for you.
What a beautiful salad; everything looks so very green and fresh. You had a lovely harvest of fresh salad leaves xx
Hello Charlie,
Thanks, it was a real treat.
Your salad looks delicious Norma. I’m wishing I had it for lunch today. Good luck with your containers this season. Would you believe Miss A’s strawberries made a comeback the past few weeks. The plant was absolutely dead, then the next thing we know there’s a new strawberry – in October! Very interesting.
Hello Kristy,
Miss A has a green thumb. Who will be taking care of her strawberries when you are away?
Fortunately I have family that will move into and care for the house for us – and one of them has a green thumb too! 🙂
Hello Kristy,
Glad to hear that, I am sure Miss A is happy.
This is so beautiful , what a harvest!!. Do you keep them inside your house or you put the boxes out?
Hello Amira,
The boxes all remain outdoors.
That’s a great salad and from containers. There’s hope for me yet! It’s hard to grow in containers here without watering twice a day.
Hello Maureen,
Watering is a problem with container gardening especially during the hot summer months I need to water twice a day also and if it is a large plant 3 times. I looked into self-watering containers but cannot justify spending the money, guess I am too cheap 🙂
Your lettuce and spinach are gorgeous. Maybe that is the reason why my herbs are doing poorly, maybe it is the canister shape, it has absolutely nothing to do with my black thumb… LOL Tasty looking salad. Have a super weekend!
Hello Bam,
I totally agree, it is the shape of your container you do not have a black thumb. The salad was tasty can’t go wrong with smoked salmon. A super weekend to you too.