How much space will my lettuce need?

[Potstubsdustbins]

That's a 24" trough and they will grow to fill the space but They are CACA so taking a few leaves of the plants as required works well.

Potty

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you like salad leaves another on you may like is Mesclun a mixture of leaves that you harvest with a pair of scissors, it will then regrow up to 4 times. You get a variety of tastes from spicy downward all from one container. Even some edible flowers.

Potty

[IndigoElectron]

What depth container would you need for rocket or cut and come again salad leaves? And what compost would you use, is seed compost okay or would you need to transplant them into containers with multi purpose compost? Would you need to add any feed or fertiliser? I tried to grow some mixed leaves but it was a bit of a failure, I didn't really know what I was doing!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Those containers are 6" deep with about 5 1'2" of MPC and yes you have to feed them any compost is dead after about 6 to 7 weeks.

Potty

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Potty, I will try and source some 6 inch containers then.

Just one more question - I assume I start them off in seed compost, can I keep them in this (and feed them), or do I need to transplant them into MPC?

Thanks!

[WendyC]

Seed compost is low in nutrients and has a fine texture suitable for growing seeds in. When potting on they need something with more nutrients, like a multi-purpose compost. You will still need to feed after about 6 weeks.

[Bill HH]

If you start them of directly in the final trough or pot then yes, but in the case of your large lettuce you will need to thin them out drasticaly to one every 30cm (12 inches) as in the instructions, actualy that seems a bit to much i would do mine at spacings of six inches but when the leaves get near to touching I would harvest every other one. As for the compost I use MPC to start them but I riddle all the lumps out.
The problem with sowing direct is having to remove so many to get your final spacings, best to regularly plant a few in a seed tray then prick them out into the larger containers when they are two or three inches high.The reason for riddling the compost is to remove lumps that may prevent the seeds making proper contact with the MPC. To save space you could plant new young plants in between older ones then when you harvest the big ones your younger ones will make a new row. The rocket dont need thinning out unless you have planted them too thickly because you will be cutting them before they get too high and are competing with each other. I grow my Caca lettuce in a Tescos delivery box, its about 3ft6 x 1ft and 8 inches deep, i sow the seed directly into it and keep harvesting it for months. Hope that isnt too garbled. As for fertilising I mix some general fertilizer (Say a handful to 20litres of compost) into the final containers before planting and then if i think its needed later on i water with tomorite occasionaly. Thats just how I do it, others may do it differently.

[AllInContainers]

A lot of what I sowed direct last year was in MPC ... but ... I filled the pot with MPC, then created little furrows or divots dpending on the seeds and lined this with seed compost. I also sprinkled seed compost on top of the seeds where applicable. You get the nice fine growing medium for the seeds to germinate, but the roots travel down into the MPC saving having to tranplant later. I found this to be a lot less messing about, and the seeds germinated well too.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks all, and that's a great idea AllInContainers.

[Potstubsdustbins]

being bone idle I don't mess about with lettuce and the like. You get hundreds of seeds in a packet so it doesn't matter if you waste a few.

I use cells filled with MPC and drop in 3 seeds to a cell. First one to germinate wins the rest are pulled as they appear. I do this on a regular basis through out the season that way I always have advanced seedlings to replace any used.

Potty

[elmo61]

Hi guys, been a while since i updated on how its going...

I don't think its going very well. It seems my lettuce is just getting very long storks and have grown couple extra leaves but they have not got much bigger considering this is now about 4 weeks in. (about 3 weeks in these pots)

imgur: the simple image sharer
imgur: the simple image sharer

What am i doing wrong? lighting on right? they are still indoors. I did put a couple seedlings outside which are alive but have barely grown due to the weather so i guess inside is still best bet.

Any help with what might make them bigger so I can put them in sandwiches bigger than finger size

Thanks
Steve

[rustylady]

What compost did you use Steve?

[elmo61]

I believe it was for seedlings/multi purpose? (can check when i get home)

[rustylady]

Seed compost has virtually no nutrients, multi-purpose has enough nutrients for about six weeks.

[Bill HH]

Even though they are in your window it still gets cold at night, I have some looking similar in the greenhouse. There is a big difference in growing speed now and how they would grow in May. I would pot them into individual 3 inch pots in freah multipurpose compost and plant them deepr up tp the leaves. Then start another batch off in the tray as a back up.