Tips on growing lettuce

judsoncarroll4

https://www.almanac.com/plant/lettuce?trk_msg=B05O9HJS2V0474EER32NG4HV8C&trk_contact=LMDLSPEJ8GGLRQ0UNPQ7G505QG&trk_sid=IAHI1V294A75F5GK5APO9FEED8&trk_link=O3SM041952R4T8UOF9Q3TM1NV8&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Lettuce+(read+more)&utm_campaign=Companion+Weekly&utm_content=WEEKLY

Jens the Beekeeper

Great tips on growing lettuce. I always refer to this video by Charles Dowding

https://youtu.be/_pgcvN6TuE8

Monek Marie

I have moved more to the colorful varieties of lettuce. They seem to do better in the heat. I also grow more lettuce in the house in the winter. It seems by time I buy lettuce (which is one of thr most sprayed veggies out there) and get it home, its half rotted or has no flavor.

One area I have never worked with before is saving seed. This will be my first real attempt at it.

@Jens the Beekeeper love Charles Dowding

Jens the Beekeeper

@Monek Marie saving seed from lettuce is relatively easy. It self pollinates readily. The tricky thing is to catch it prior to be completely dry when the wind will blow it throughout your whole garden.

Just select the last plant going to seed as long as it grows as vigorous as the other plants. This way you will get a locally adapted bolt hardy selection over time.

dipat2005

I am interested in growing lettuce this year. Funny thing is I never eat it but I think lettuce would be tastier if I grew it myself.

Monek Marie

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/909416#Comment_909416

I always try to save seeds from the plants that did what I wanted. I did not think of slow bolt.

For tomatoes I save from the earliest plant to have a ripe tomato and again from the plant that will have a tomato that get through a light frost. Pappers I go for ther first top produce - Peppers a re bit picky here so I need an early strong producer.

I love saving seed. It's fun to see the changes in the plants as they acclimate to your growing conditions.

Monek Marie

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/909418#Comment_909418

Lettuce grown in you own backyard does taste better.

judsoncarroll4

I am very fortunate in that lettuce is one of those plants that grows really well where I live. Lettuce and cabbage were major crops around here before Christmas trees came to dominate.

vickeym

Lettuce usually does very well here. Tomatoes and peppers almost always need a greenhouse if you want them to produce and ripen.

Many varieties here we have a hard time collecting seeds from. Either the season is not long enough or we get warm enough they bolt very early and quickly. If it is something like carrots or anything that takes more than one year to produce flowers or seed it usually will not produce here.

Can't wait to get more space cleared and get a large garden going.

Lisa K

I can get them to germinate or grow with starters, my issue is keeping critters from eating them!

water2world

@ judsoncarroll4 Thanks for the timely tip! and @Jens the Beekeeper Thanks for the video!

MissPatricia

I love Charles Dowding as well as Lynn Gillepsie (I have bought several of her courses) because they are down to earth, gentle, and knowledgeable. Love Paul G. of Back to Eden for his knowledge. There are some other good ones too. These are my personal favorites.

Desiree

I have struggled to grow lettuces outside in Ohio. It seems like we go from winter to high summer too fast. Last year was so wet the gardens were mud puddles for the longest time and I ended up with very few plants getting put out in time for the growing season. I will grow some indoors (space limitations) but I can barely harvest enough for more than one salad at a time.

After all the recent recalls on lettuces, I won't buy any from the stores from now on.

marjstratton

I liked some of the companion plants for lettuce in the Farmer's almanac article. Will have to give some of them a try. I've already planted my garlic which has already started growing so that one won't work for me, (unless I want to grow even more garlic).

dipat2005

@Jens the Beekeeper thank you for the video. I like the contrast between soils. I think I would rather sow the seeds outdoors. It has been nice and cool with temperatures into the 50's some days but I am not able to grow in a greenhouse or inside.

SuperC

Oh wow, thanks for the video of explaining planting lettuces @Jens the Beekeeper . Soon seeds will be arriving, and I’ll try these ways of growing lettuce!