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This post may contain affiliate links. It doesn’t cost you anything extra but if you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission.

We’re going to try planting early snapdragons in an unheated tunnel this year.

If you remember from a months-ago email, we had a virus get into the snap bed last year so 1) we needed a new place to plant the snaps and 2) it’s never too early to have snapdragons in your house.

And the seedlings have just started to show in their trays. Little specks of green. So cute.

(If you have a burning desire to start some seeds right now, you could start cilantro or parsley. Hold off on everything else. Or do what I do, and just shop for wayyyyy more seeds than you’ll need this year. We do have some seed packets available in the store now if you want to go that route).

We’re also getting the tunnel prepped. Since we won’t be planting anything in there until the snaps, there’s no rush.

But new irrigation lines will be put down, more compost, and stakes and trellises will all need to be put in before the snapdragons are transplanted in. The plastic was put on now so that the ground stays warmer.

If we do everything right, and nothing out of our control goes wrong (looking at you Mother Nature), we should be planting in mid-March and will start cutting in June.

looking short grassy ground inside of a tunnel - 8' tall hoops cover in plastic.

How to plant lettuce:

  • Make a straight row with a string
  • Lay out your lettuce plants
  • Plant your lettuce plants
  • Leave the empty plant containers next to the newly planted plants. Lettuce plants are so emotionally attached to the containers that they just can’t deal with the containers going bye-bye.

This only applies to lettuce that is planted inside tunnels. Fully outdoors lettuce is confident enough to grow on its own. All other types of plants are a-okay growing without their old empty containers being nearby.


I actually don’t know why the empty lettuce packs hang around for weeks by the planted lettuce plants. Or why the empty packs are immediately picked up for all the other crops.

But our lettuce is pretty darn awesome, so maybe the crew is onto something.

Some seasonal inspiration:

Instant Pot Turkey Back Soup

Tom Kha Gai – Thai Coconut Soup

Roasted Acorn Squash with Kale Pesto

Lamb Stuffed Kabocha Squash

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Apple Beet Crisp

Open Tue-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5. 

Closed Sunday & Monday.

This is one of the weekly newsletters that is emailed out every Saturday night – no more, no less. If you liked the information make sure you sign up so you can get Elizabeth’s (sometimes snarky) writings delivered right to your inbox. You can read it on the website – obviously – but a copy of the newsletter isn’t posted to the website until several weeks later.  

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