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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2011 9:20:09 GMT -5
Forgive me if there is already a thread on this. I tried to find one, but just found the Vegetable of the week thread and it is long past.
Ok so I planted two seed trays of lettuce. One I mixed Parris Island Cos and Rouge d'hiver in the same tray since they are both romaine types. Then I planted the other tray with a mesclun mix I got from Baker Creek. They are both coming up brilliantly. Only took two days. I'm wondering how long I can leave them in the seed tray before I transplant them. Some are over an inch high now. I wanted to take them outside this weekend but I read it shouldn't be lower than 50 when they are out and next week its going to hover in mid to high 40's. Should I just put them in bigger cups now and wait or are they ok in the seed tray, or should I just take them outside? Thanks in advance.
I'm zone 5b btw.
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Lettuce
Apr 8, 2011 21:23:20 GMT -5
Post by stratcat on Apr 8, 2011 21:23:20 GMT -5
Hi, valkyriesmyst. Welcome to NJT. Feel free to jump right in and ask questions. I don't have much experience with growing lettuce, but I know some of our members grow lots of greens and should be able to answer your questions. I have a green and red lettuce mix to try this year.
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Post by michaeljohnson on Apr 9, 2011 1:08:14 GMT -5
The only problem with any kind of lettuce is that the young seedlings hate to have any kind of root disturbance when transplanting them, and are best sown in those mini wedge type seed trays-the best way to loosen them up at transplant time is to drop the tray onto a flat hard surface about a foot above the ground-this then jerks all the little seedlings loose, where they can be easily removed by using a tapered wooden lollipop stick or something similar. Also- if you have any kind of Pigeons loose where you live it is better to throw a net over the freshly planted young seedlings, because as sure as eggs are eggs, the blighter's will swoop down ten minutes after you have planted them out and strip the lot out and eat them-this happened to me several times, once I had just finished planting out a row and went indoors for less than five minutes for a drink of water-when I came back out again there was only about half an inch of stalk left sticking out of the ground--Grrr-pesky birds
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2011 6:13:32 GMT -5
Great news for Pigeon farmers!
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Post by coppice on Apr 9, 2011 6:25:20 GMT -5
I'm still finding my way here (SE-OH Z6), from long growing in NH (Z5). So, with that said and my having very irregular luck with iceberg lettuce, in El-Norte. I went to only leaf lettuces.
For the posse I'm feeding now, the lack of iceberg isn't an issue. I buy as many different kinds of leaf lettuce as I can get from Sandhill Preservation Ctr. I like their OP seeds (and prices). I also hit the five-for-a-buck rack at big box stores for leaf lettuce.
I'll get out a couple of broadcast of mixed seed. the right planting date here is for direct sown seed is like April 1st.
Lettuce will tolerate pretty cold temperatures and even a dusting of snow. So even if I had the space to start them indoors, I probably never will again.
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Lettuce
Apr 9, 2011 10:45:24 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2011 10:45:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice everyone. I really appreciate it.
I'm going to do the method michealsjohnson described. I'm going to transplant them this weekend.
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Lettuce
Apr 13, 2011 9:03:21 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2011 9:03:21 GMT -5
Well..........The weather has not been cooperative and it looks like I have to start over with the lettuce. Since the past weekend I've had one nice day and I couldn't plant that day because it was almost 90 degrees believe it or not, it's been raining since and my lettuce sprouts don't look healthy. It's ok, most of what I read says it's better direct sown anyways.
I just love salads and was hoping to get a jump on things but the seeds sprouted so quickly I'm not sure it'll be too much of a difference.
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Lettuce
Apr 13, 2011 9:20:08 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2011 9:20:08 GMT -5
I made a cold frame from old windows that I use for starting lettuce early. I direct seed in it and by the time the lettuce is up a couple inches the weather is warm enough to remove the windows. It also works good for extending the season. I had lettuce last fall into Dec.
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Lettuce
Apr 13, 2011 13:30:24 GMT -5
Post by sorellina on Apr 13, 2011 13:30:24 GMT -5
I'm on board with the cold frame/hoop cover idea now. Those really do help to extend the season on either end.
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