problem with my lettuce seedlings

[briggsy2011]

Hi all

Having problems with my lettuce seedlings. They are about 2 inches high and limp! I have watered them reguarily and they are growing in one of my raised bed. They are in with my broccoli and cabbage but not to close. I have lost 3 of them and have 5 left.
This is my first attempt at growing them.
I havent grown them under cover (cloches or ploytunnel).
The soil is a nice compost/manure mix - raddishes and other veg are growing ok in it.
I was thinking of growing them from seeds in a pot and then planting out again when bigger plugs.

any help please?

[zazen999]

NO idea..it could be anything to be honest - have they been cut off at the stem [cutworm is the culprit here] or did you transplant them recently [they often flop for a while]....???

My recommendation is to have a pot of mixed lettuce seeds, and sow a pinch in a block every few weeks.

[WendyC]

If they are limp despite being watered it must be something to do with the roots. Are they perhaps too wet and the roots rotting? Is it worth gently excavating a small amount of the remaining roots and checking they are white and not brown. Another sign of rotting is if the stem is brown.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I find that Zazen's method pays dividends particularly in this up and down weather.

I grow mine in plugs sown every 2/3 weeks, and plant them out when I have plenty of root coming from the bottom of the plug even then I loose the odd one.

Colin

[PAULW]

Lettuce dont like being out in full sun in the open, I grow mine between other plants to give them a bit of shade.

[Flummery]

They do like shade. I also find they don't partcularly need a lot of water. They can withstand a degree of drought better than most plants. If you over-water and the soil gets waterlogged the roots suffer.