I just thought I'd post how I am planting lettuce again this year. I have a nice sized cold frame to start radishes, lettuce or any early crop a month ahead of time to get a good start here in Canada. Radishes are coming up nicely! Our grocery store has been carrying "live lettuce" for the last few years. It has the root ball on and tastes just like homegrown lettuce. And It's cheap! Last year there were 3 little bunches of different kinds of lettuce in one root ball. I bought 6 of them (that's 18 plants), cut off all the leaves except the center "heart" leaves. Washed and ate what I cut off, divided the root ball into 3 little lettuces and planted them in the cold frame. We ate off that lettuce all summer by cutting off the outer leaves, always saving the heart to re-grow. Yes we eat a lot of lettuce!
Gardening Anyone?
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I would have needed to start some of what I wanted last month. But as it stands, I have not look for seeds, which will be scarce now.
Yes, they were scarce when I looked for seeds too. But lettuce seed does not keep well for the next year so buying these live lettuces has been very helpful.
Those live lettuces are awesome! They stay fresh in the fridge without going bad for weeks on end, unlike the packaged bags of cut lettuce that go bad in a few days. Normally we are eating homegrown lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and other greens off my hydro/aeroponic Tower Garden from September to June, but we have been buying our produce from the store because I did not start up my Tower Garden back in September like I usually do every year. We had a family reunion out of state to go to in November and had no one reliable to tend to it while we were away.
Thankfully I have seeds a-plenty stored away from last year and have no need to buy any for the next time I set my garden up.
IrishLass
Thankfully I have seeds a-plenty stored away from last year and have no need to buy any for the next time I set my garden up.
IrishLass
Cross-stitch gal
Member
Don't tell my husband about your lettuce, he'd want some! He has talked about us getting some for our garden though. We normally have tomatoes, corn, and a few other things planted by now. But, I'm afraid this year the plants haven't been here yet. However, we do have some snow peas coming up right now.
Thankfully I have seeds a-plenty stored away from last year and have no need to buy any for the next time I set my garden up.
IrishLass
Do you find lettuce seed to keep over? I keep leftover seed in a sealed container on the basement floor (50 degrees) and leftover lettuce seed does not germinate for me. Perhaps I should put it in the freezer.
I thought we had to wait until after the last freeze to plant. Is that not true for cold weather crops like lettuce and radishes?
I don't think lettuce would do well in a freeze but very cool weather won't hurt it. Radishes can tolerate more. But as I said my early stuff is in a cold frame and I have glass covers for it if it's going to freeze. And for lettuce I would also cover with a cloth if it was going to freeze overnight.
Gotcha ... guess I need to build a cold frame for next year.
I finally have a great garden space and can't wait to get things planted. I started seeds indoors, but not all are coming up.
So far it has been working for me. I keep my leftover seeds sealed in my refrigerator.
IrishLass
...my hydro/aeroponic Tower Garden...
IrishLass
This sounds very interesting. Can you enlarge? Like this?
Yes- that's what I have.
I actually have two threads in the Off Topic section where I show off my Tower Garden through it's growing seasons and talk about it:https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/i-finally-have-room-for-a-veggie-garden.60997/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-2018-19-veggie-garden.71619/
I really love it and am amazed at the amount of produce I'm able to harvest off of it. I always have enough for our family of 3 plus extra to give away. I normally set it up in late August/early September and keep it running all the way through June. I take it down in June because we always go away for vacation in June and I have no one reliable that lives close enough nearby us to be able come over every day to care for it. It gets so hot in the summer months here (110F/43.3C to 120F/49C) that it really needs daily care to keep the reservoir topped up, fed and pH balanced to keep the plants from getting too stressed out. I guess you could say that my summer is other folks' winter when it comes to growing a garden. lol
IrishLass
My seedlings are under their grow lights. 36 tomato plants and assorted peppers, eggplant and some herbs. I do the rest from seed in the beds. I have a 16 x 2 raised bed with fencing down the middle for the tomatoes. I just stake them up along the fencing.
On a happy note it has been so nice I have thyme and sage in my herb garden already.
On a happy note it has been so nice I have thyme and sage in my herb garden already.
Ladka
Well-Known Member
My seedlings have been enjoying pretty warm and sunny weather (except for today) and are doing well. Some of the flowers need transplanting into larger containers. Many have sprouted well but some tomatoes haven't (yet).
Yes- that's what I have.
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/i-finally-have-room-for-a-veggie-garden.60997/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-2018-19-veggie-garden.71619/
I really love it and am amazed at the amount of produce I'm able to harvest off of it. I always have enough for our family of 3 plus extra to give away. I normally set it up in late August/early September and keep it running all the way through June. I take it down in June because we always go away for vacation in June and I have no one reliable that lives close enough nearby us to be able come over every day to care for it. It gets so hot in the summer months here (110F/43.3C to 120F/49C) that it really needs daily care to keep the reservoir topped up, fed and pH balanced to keep the plants from getting too stressed out. I guess you could say that my summer is other folks' winter when it comes to growing a garden. lol
IrishLass
My friend sells these and I would love to have one for inside but unfortunately we have no space and no sunny enough areas in the house that would support it.
I so want to do some planting but it's still too cold here. We actually have snow falling today. I have seeds ready to go. I prefer to just plant them in my raised beds. Hopefully in the next few weeks it will warm up for more than a day or two. Of course we can't purchase any plants here as the governor has closed nurseries and the home improvement stores aren't allowed to sell them either. Think she forgot that plants are food for many especially those struggling financially during this virus and not working.
You can try calling your favourite garden centre. Here garden centres are closed to the public but we are allowed to take phone orders or online orders if they have a website. Some offer delivery to you now or we are allowed to do contactless pick up.
I've already called a handful. No luck. They are not allowed to be open per our governor.
Well that just sucks. I spend half my day taking orders and we normally don’t open until the beginning of May and normally not being able to safely plant until the end of May. To those in the same boat as not being able to find veggie seeds here’s some tips:
Check your fridge/counter
Tomatoes and peppers seeds are viable- seed and leave on a paper towel for a day or two to dry off then you can plant. Same goes for cukes, melons, and most veggies that have seeds
Potatoes that got to warm and sprouted those can be used for seed potatoes.
I have read that romaine lettuce will sprout if you put the bottom cut in water - I don’t know for sure as I have never tried
Hope this helps
Check your fridge/counter
Tomatoes and peppers seeds are viable- seed and leave on a paper towel for a day or two to dry off then you can plant. Same goes for cukes, melons, and most veggies that have seeds
Potatoes that got to warm and sprouted those can be used for seed potatoes.
I have read that romaine lettuce will sprout if you put the bottom cut in water - I don’t know for sure as I have never tried
Hope this helps
Yes those seeds work but you can't guarantee you're going to get what you previously had as they are likely hybrids and could revert back to one of their grandparents! As far as the lettuce, yes it will sprout but doesn't grow very well, or give enough for a salad.
