Allotments 4 All

I've only tried peas in seed snails so far. For those and based on my previous way of sowing I don't save as much space as you, MR. I sowed 40 seeds in the snail above. They were quite crowded. Usually I would sow them in a 40 module tray 2 per module so the 40 seeds would make up half a module. It's certainly less space taken and less compost too, perhaps two thirds of each. I might get to plant them out today r tomorrow and will be interested to see whether the collar I left helps prevent tangling of tendrils.

Just made two seed spirals out of the bubble wrap strips and wanted to sow two kohlrabi types (root day in the moon calendar).  Mislaid one of the packets and have been sowing purple summer sprouting broccoli instead.  Wrong day for sowing, but we can only try!  As overwintering PSB here turns to mush, I bought summer sprouting and hope we will get something later in the year.  Placed inside a supermarket container with holes in the bottom and onto the capillary matting on the seed shelf.

Other good news, the first lettuces have sprouted, yeah!

Seedy snails update from my morning rounds ,so far onions , leeks, Broad beans, cabbages lettuces, spinach ,celery and beetroot all doing well ,sweet peas from November going strong cerinthe look promising. I have also sown lettuce into cells so will see ! Definitely saves space , I have grown sweet peas in root trainers too , the snails take 80% less space .  I am also going to try soil blocks without the gadget as seen on Martha Swales Instagram ,I believe she has a book too) making soil balls about golf ball size and see what this air pruning malarkey is all about!

As far as I can make out, the cooked lettuce in both French and Viennese versions involve a compact lettuce such as Little Gem, being cut into halves or quarters and fried in those chunks. With diced onion in butter. In the French version this is with peas and in both diced bacon or similar can be included.some liquid is then added to braise for a few moments.

Seed snails quite successful but only tried with peas. Photos to follow. 


Like you, Juliev, it's so much a question of doing what I can when I can that moon phases don't at the moment get a look in. I like the idea of being more in tune with as many aspects of the natural world as possible though.

Have so far only located strips of bubble wrap from my wrapping material box - and sowed the first lettuces into shallow pots instead of seed snails. 

Well, let's put it like this.  I consult the sowing by the moon seed calendar, which makes sure that everything gets done, as the 4 types of veg come round in turn.  Later on when it gets busy, I also sow as and when and the calendar no longer gets consulted.  So my early sowings are all on the correct day, but later in the year much less so. 

There are also French traditional recipes with cooked lettuce. Lettuce soup and French style petits pois (peas with onions and lettuce). Never had either of them, clearly not from my corner of France, haha!

Hope you had fun with your seed parcel, Galina! I've always been intrigued by the moon phase growing. At the moment, my style is more "I've got a few hours available and it's not raining" but I hope to give it a proper go one day.

How are the seed snails going? I think we need to see some pictures

Never heard of cooked lettuce myself.  But yes, it is a thing,  as a quick google for recipes shows. Here is Viennese cooked salad.

https://www.ichkoche.at/wiener-kochsalat-rezept-3136

You have been very patient! I'm very pleased you get to enjoy browsing at last.

The Weiner Maidivi lettuce sounds fascinating.The German seed supplier suggests that in the Austrian tradition with which it's especially associated,the lettuce is cooked. Is this a well established tradition do you know, Galina or Vetivert?

Got my seed package home safely and had a first good peak.  I am overwhelmed.  Thank you everybody so much.  Look at these treasures.   

As it is a 'greens day', according to the moon calendar, lettuces will make the start of sowing for this year.  Rouge Grenoble has been on my wish list for a while as has Wiener Maidivi, which despite the name, is not an endive!  This is going to be a spectacular garden.  Everybody thank you so much.

Much sorting and entering into my databases for the rest of the day.   

That's my mistake. For some reason I was convinced that it's a climber and thought I'd grown it as a climber. I've recently realised that's not so and is just one of those quirks of memory, but I failed to remember that I needed to change it on the base! Now corrected.
Apologies to Garrett who had it correctly listed.