Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 1924 Location: Warwickshire
Posted: Mon May 16, 05 10:04 am Post subject:
How much sun do they actually need? I've got a shady patch which I need to do something with.
moggins
Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 942 Location: Gloucester
Posted: Mon May 16, 05 10:08 am Post subject:
Thanks everyone, I'll get some more in this afternoon.
The soil is lovely, almost like compost and so easy to turn over, just the kind of stuff that's fun to get your hands into.
wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Mon May 16, 05 10:10 am Post subject:
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Judith wrote:
WW: Little Gem has been around a long time - perhaps you have the same seeds from different suppliers. Otherwise dunno! To me it is a small, crunchy and densely-packed little lettuce. Don't know how else to describe it.
My mistake - its tom thumb I'm thinking of (brain fried due to putting together a presentation on the importance of sleep, when the dogs threw up twice in the night )
How much sun do they actually need? I've got a shady patch which I need to do something with.
Shady will do, but I'd say that you're better with at least SOME sun. If I have a dark-ish spot for lettuce then I grow a green variety, the reds all come out rather muted if you grow them with insufficient light.
Sherwood is supposed to be nice...I'm expecting some from T&M soon (only because they were half price).
I find a lot of the red ones quite bitter, but it could be the fact that our very dry soil takes more watering than I have life and heart to give it in order to make them grow quickly. This year we're trying to grow a lot of salads in containers and that seems to be working much better.
Some of the reds can be a little bitter, but that all depends on which ones. I like lollo ross for that reason, it's a little bitter and a good contrast for sweet lettuce.
Some of the red ones are a bit less bitter; oakleaf isn't as bitter as lollo rosso, and freckles (red spots on a green background) adds colour and is fairly sweet. It's fussier than some, though, and needs lots of light to get its freckles.
Ooh, I've also got some bronze arrow from the HDRA this year. I intend to let some of it go to seed (if I can) so there should be plenty to hand around for next year.
Lettuce goes to seed real easy, just stop watering and leave it to flower, it's harvesting the seed that's a problem, I don't know which species but there's a catterpillar that loves lettuce seed, mine are usually covered in 'em, green with a faint yellow stripe.
That's handy because that's one of my strongest gardening skills
I can't decide if I've never heard of the caterpillars, or if I've seen them. Hmm. One to look out for anyway, cheers Tahir (if there were several of you, that would be poetry).
bernie-woman
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 7824 Location: shropshire
Posted: Mon May 16, 05 1:19 pm Post subject:
I grow all of my lettuce in containers and restrict myself to cut and come again varieties which I have found really useful as we never lose any to mice etc... We have tried many varieties including things like land cress etc..
I grow Salad Bowl and rocket in seed trays in the greenhouse, starting off new trays every fortnight or so. They stay in there so don't get munched by anyone except me!
Bernie66
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 13967 Location: Eastoft
Posted: Mon May 16, 05 6:09 pm Post subject:
Never works for me that, i always end up with a glut even if i do sow every month or so. they always seem to catch up with each other in the ground
Nanny
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Posts: 4520 Location: carms in wales
Posted: Tue May 17, 05 9:49 am Post subject: lettuce
i am the same, start them in modules, then into 3 inch pots and then into the ground and use a variety pack so have a lot of choice and colour
it seems like the slugs etc leave the plants alone if they are bigger when they go in.....
and what goes to seed for me, the goats eat so i never lose out by haveing too many
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