A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 lettuce trouble

Hi. I've been trying to grow lettuce for at least 3 years now, and all i try seems to fail. Nothing seems to work, i've tried everything possible. they dont seem to grow that well, when they should be full and mature, they are still very premature, almost as if they have been growing for 10 days, not 50. I don't know what to do. If someone here can help me,that'd be great. Thanks!!!

Are they planted close together? Sometimes when they are TOO close to one another they tend to stunt the growth.

What kind of lettuce is it?? and do you have any pictures of it we could see??

All my lettuce does sooo much better in the shade. Perhaps too much sun?

Oh...and what about over fertilizing? I've never fertilized my lettuce. I actually pretty much ignore mine...until I pick it for dinner.

If it was too much sun, I think it would wilt/rot turn brown. At least thats what I expierianced with mine when the temp got to 109 here a week ago....it's doing great now with temps in the mid to high 90's.

Badplanter, is it doing that too along with the stunted growth??

nope, its not rotting at all, the leaves are a healthy green (or at least seem to be)and they are spaced about 8 inches apart--think thats enough? its in the sun early in the morning until about noon...ill try to get some pics on.

Lettuce should grow good where your from. How is your soil??? Did you plant the lettuce like grass seed?? On lettuce all you do is lay the seeds on the ground and cover them lightly with soil. Lettuce are VERY suceptible to weeds when they are young. It`s also good to plant by a bigger plant so as to shade them. Lettuce are best planted in spring and\or fall. Can take cold but not heat well. Hope this helps.

It's gotta be the soil if they're not getting too much hot sun. Do you fertilize? What type of lettuce is it? When did you start the seed? 50 days ago?

In my experience, by this time of year lettuce has bolted because of the heat and long days. I normally start my lettuce seed indoors in mid-March and sow successive plantings once the soil thaws enough to be workable.

ok! thanks everybody, for all your help!! i'm pretty sure it IS the soil, so now i have somewhere to work from! Thanks again!! See you all around the forum!

i spray miracle grow on mine when I plant.. It is going great........I am on my 3rd batch of planting.. 3 days ago and mine are up.. The radishes also......

THey are cold weather crops.......i dont think bunching stalls them.. I use good compose also.

dodge

Dodge...

Bunching them does not stall them but it does keep them from growing alot bigger.

Last year My wife took a package of lettuce seeds and put them in a line. We did`nt expect them to grow. We did it for giggles. 2 weeks later we saw them starting to come up. 2 weeks after that we had a 6 foot by 1 foot carpet of lettuce.

We had over 4 boxes of lettuce when we harvested them. Sold the whole lot at a farmers market.

guys...i just wanna say thanks again for all your help--years of trouble solved in under 24 hours!!! i guess thats life for you.

greenthumb..........

I dont agree......Ours grows best bunched and scattered each supports the other.. Guess I will have to show you, but we eat it too fast.

Daily.......
Howeve ......to Each his own.
Happy 4th July.

dodge

hey every1!! thanks for answering my questions--the other day I bought new soil for my lettuce and replanted whatever i could that i could "save". i also bought new heads of lettuce, and already i'm seeing major inprovement!!!! thanks again all, sssoo much! My lettuce lives!!!!!

badplanter

You will have to change your name to goodplanter now...........;o)

Good luck..

dodge

I always plant mine in a patch. Just scatter the seeds on top of the ground and water them in.

Amigatec,

Correct ........
I even planted lettuce last fall before it snowed, and it all came up this spring.. It was really good too.
Well we have winter.

dodge

I did`nt plant ANY yet this year but I got 6 plants from last year. go figure. Heck, almost half my garden IS that way. Was too busy in spring to plant other then potatos, onions and green beans. A few tomatos as well.

I got the ground ready and ask my wife to plant but she was also too busy. :-( I AM planting now for fall with lettuce, carrots, more beans, peas, broc, cabbage, colliflower , spinach and brussle sprouts. Maybe some herbs.

Hey ......good for you....You can do that and eat till snow flys..... We do

We been to Iowa 8 or 9 times ..My man is a great fan of your corn farmers.........
Been tru keoluk, Iowa.....I actually have a Library card for the Waverly Library..In Waverly , Iowa......I go there and use the computers for mail to home..ha ha
Nice.....Grotto Of Redemption is so beautiful out there.Also .

Nice nice state.
Guess your not farmers .....

dodge

Mine are still growing here in NY and
no bolting, Yettttttt!!!

I even just planted a second batch *which usually
is hard* here cause of the heat in the summer*
but it's been ok this year..

But alot has to do with moisture in the soil...
You want it moist, but not soggy...
and kept moist until they sprout...

A trick I do, in my raised beds, I have regular sifted garden soil and assorted compost or some kind of manure *cow or bunny* but I do use a load of freshly sifted compost *bagged potting soil can work if no compost is available* and put and pat that on top of my soil...
Thennnnnnnnn I sprinkle the seeds accordingly..
and take a veryyyyyyy thin layer of the same sifted compost *or bagged potting soil* and lightly cover...

Remember it doesn't take much to cover them...

What kind did you say you were growing, you mentioned head of lettuce?????

look everybody!! i finally got some pics in!!! but know my lettuce seems to be "drooping" does anybody know whats wrong?

badplanter,

I suggest you plant lots of seeds, and each plant will hold up the other........

They like lots of water also , and cool temperatures.

;o)

dodge

I would have also said what Dodge said,
I'd also ask, have you fertilized them
with any nitrogen and if so what kind and how much?????

How's the soil? It looks pretty compacted.