Wish I could. The best I have is 6 hrs of sun in the very front of my yard. And that's even less now that the days are getting shorter. I still keep trying to figure out where I could squeeze in a few veggies. The same thing could happen to basically any commercial fruit or vegetable if it came from contaminated irrigation, which is one of their theories. Scary. -Ais.

Ais, How about containers, pots? Spinach, herbs and lettuce grow great in pots. They can look good, too, with pansies mixed in. . . Just a thought. :)rosebush

actually, ais, that's about as much peak sun as i get, too, and i have never had any issues growing lettuce and spinach in as little as 3-4 hrs sun (i have perenns in my peak sun). remember you'll have more sun in the winter & spring, too. containers work ok, but i've had better luck in the ground. give it a try- you may be pleasantly surprised. now is the time to do seeds or plugs, and it'll go sorta dormant-little growth- in winter unless you rowcover it. then it springs to life with the slightlest warmth. kinda like pansies. enjoy! nothing is as good as a fresh salad out of the garden. i think it even beats summer tomatoes, because it's so hard to get good fresh stuff in winter. mmmmmm. tam

I don't really want a veggie garden in the very front of my house, but there is a small spot on the side I'm considering for a tiny veggy patch. I've considered containers on the deck, but even that barely gets a couple hours of full sun. My "tomatos in the shade" project this year was a failure. I think partly because I tried to direct sow from seed and they just got going too late. Actually, they have really sprung up recently though so maybe I'll get a tomato before the frost kills them after all. There is a small area in the back that might do if a few hours of sun is good enough, and I've been intending to try some there. But it requires building a raised be because it occasionally floods. Maybe a good project for this winter... I'd love to get some fresh lettuce going. yummy fresh salad. Plus lettuce has gotten so expensive lately it seems. At least for the good stuff. -Ais.

Lettuce will keep going most of the summer in light to medium shade, although it slows down when it gets REALLY hot. While it may bolt, you can always replant, sowing a small container inside, to transplant.... I can usually grow it all summer using shade cloth. If you don't let it head, but keep picking the largest leaves as they get to the size of the Spring Green or Baby Lettuce mixes, you can slow its desire to bolt as well. In the winter, it probably needs all the sun you can give it, but if your shade comes from deciduous trees, you get that anyway. It's worth a try.

"now is the time to do seeds or plugs . . . "

tamelask, i am new to gardening, but i've just started some (hopefully) good raised beds in which i think i could plant. what did you mean about doing lettuce seeds or plugs now? i am a vegetarian and would be so thrilled to save some vegetable money by growing my own. i would really appreciate your help starting my lettuce patch. thank you.

if you've already done your raised beds you have the hard part done. just buy a packet of seeds or a 6 pack of plants (nurseries & garden centers should have). you can start them now through about february, but you'll get more over time by doing it now. follow the instructions on the packet for the seeds or plant the plugs. it's really that easy. you don't need to worry with rows if you don't want, and you can even make designs with the red and green types. don't cover lettuce seeds with dirt- they need light to germinate. you may want to lightly cover with sheer fabric or reemay/row cover(also at the garden centers) to keep the birds from snacking on your babies or seed. reemay will also extend the harvest as it gets colder, but it isn't necessary. the lettuce will lift it as it grows, or you can prop it up with sticks. keep it reasonably moist but not soggy & you'll quickly see germination if the seed is good. the seed lasts for a few yrs if kept dry and reasonably cool.

seed is a much more economical way to do lettuce, but if you're anxious for plants, you could try a few 6 packs and seed also, so you get the lettuce at harvestable size sooner, then more as the seedlings in turn get big enough to harvest. grow as much as you have room for- it's addictive and easy to give away if you get too much. for one person, i'd plant at least a 4'x 4' area. more if you really eat a lot of salads. lettuce grows fast in the right conditions- cool & moist. you can pick at most any size. some mixes are made specifically to harvest tiny (usually called mesclun or cut & come again). as the lettuce bolts, typically as it gets hot in spring, it will get bitter. just stop eating it when it's too bitter for you.

really, starting with lettuce is one of the easiest veggies you can possibly do. oh, and don't worry with the headig types- go for looseleaf. some nice companions to winter lettuce are radishes (also super easy from seed) and green onions. buy a bag of the little onions & plant them, and you'll have green onions in about 6 weeks. or so. nothing's better with a steamy bowl of soup & fresh bread on a winter day. spinach is similar to lettuce- you space it out a bit more, is all, which is easy since the seed's bigger. mmm mm. enjoy! don't be afraid- just dig in! tammy

oh you are making me drool Tammy! I love soup and salad. (the kids hate both- those brats) Now I'm determined. I will have veggies!!! Especially lettuce and tomatoes. Gotta have those. -Ais.

I've used earthboxes for tomatoes, peppers and a few other things w/good results. In my case, my only working, practical locale for veggies is a side yard that is literally a skinny 5' wide from house siding to fence and less than 20' long - and it slopes! I've never tried lettuce in them, but have friends who rave about their crops.

Not tryng to do a product endorsement here, but from the sounds of some of these posts, looking into earthboxes might solve some problems. While earthboxes are really just an enhanced container gardening system, I've found them to be very useful. I can plant right up against my house foundation where I could never dig, correct the slope w/pavers under each box and they are portable, so can follow the sun in larger yards. And I do like the watering tube system.

Just some leafy, green food for thought ....... :o)

i'm lucky- both of my kids, one especially, LOVES homemade soup, bread & salad. fixing it in a crockpot in winter is one of life's little comforts. smelling the soup cooking & later the bread will have me salivating all day. it's fun to hear each person's reaction as they walk in the door to the smells. yum. with this cold front coming maybe this weekend we'll whip up a batch! :) good luck on your veggie ventures. btw- cherry tomatoes do better with little sun than any others. and kids adore them! tam

Tamelask,
PERFECT weather for homemade soup and bread, with fresh goodies from the garden. You have motivated me to start baking! :)
rosebush