Greetings from Ten Gables Cottage, I just finished this painting of a little Spring bunny! I often see rabbits near the edge of the wild part of our garden, nibbling on the tiny Spring grass. They are so cute, but hop quickly away if you get too close. I really loved painting this little creature and if you click on him, you can see the fine detail of his fur in the brush strokes.
I am wondering if anyone out there has grown Roquette lettuce? I have planted it for the first time and it is doing well, but what I need to know is when to harvest and if you just pick off leaves, making more come on the plant? At first they grew up sort of tall on one stem, then quickly bloomed! Yikes, there were only a few leaves. Is this it, I wondered? So I broke off the tops of the plants and they began to double, no triple in size and became quite bushy. Everyday, I break off any buds. And I have picked some leaves off and eaten them, so am I doing this right? I love the peppery taste of this lettuce. I am so glad my little garden is far away from the bunnies and near the house, where they never venture! Your comments on this lettuce will be appreciated!
Sounds like leaf lettuce to me..the more you pinch off the more that grows until it gets to hot for it to grow....pinch, rinse and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteEgretta, Roquette, or Rocket as we call it, is not a lettuce at all. It's what you guys in the USA usually call Aragula. More of a herb, really. It does have a tendency to bolt, as you have described, and when this happens the leaves tend to become bitter and unpleasant to eat. You can also eat the flowers if you so desire. It is best sown early or late in the season, so that it doesn't mature in the hottest months, and it likes plenty of moisture. Picking individual leaves like you are doing is the best way to harvest it. The more you pick, the more leaves are produced. Nice with a French dressing, or olive oil and lemon... Wish I had some right now!
ReplyDeleteThanks Darla and Mark, I will keep pinching and eating and hope it doesn't get too hot and turn bitter!
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