Little Gem help

[VegGirl71]

Hello!

I'm fairly new to veg growing. I have tried 3 times now to grow little gem, using GYO mag advice (which is very different from Quickcrop vids- also unhelpful) and other Youtube vids. They get very leggy and weak and then just shrivel up. I'm very frustrated as I know Lettuce is easy to grow...
Can someone tell me - in plain language - where I am going wrong? I have plenty of seeds left and a germinator tray and seedling compost so I am ready to go.

Many thanks in advance!

[veggiechicken]

Hi and welcome.
All plants get leggy and weak if they don't have enough light as they stretch towards whatever is available.
Without knowing how you grow them its difficult to be specific.

[ameno]

Probably too warm, if you're using a propagator. Lettuce are a cool weather crop. This time of year, they should really be sown outside.
Otherwise, if you keep them watered and thin them to a sensible spacing then they should be fairly fool-proof.
Maybe bad compost? Not all compost is equal. Some brands are very poor indeed, and will give weak growth and can even outright kill the plants.

[greenishfing]

You are probably trying too hard. Don't be so nice to them. They don't like too much heat. Just bung them in outdoors and thin them when they come up. Water if necessary and ignore them. As they get bigger eat the thinnings.

[VegGirl71]

Thanks all. I'll bung them outside - my mixed leaves are doing well so far. I prob was being too kind! They were on a south facing window sill in a tiny propagator so I'll put them straight in a pot then?

[ameno]

Thanks all. I'll bung them outside - my mixed leaves are doing well so far. I prob was being too kind! They were on a south facing window sill in a tiny propagator so I'll put them straight in a pot then?

I would say they were definitely too hot then.
Yeah, plant them out and they should hopefully do fine.

[annie8]

I have to say I always thought lettuce should be easy but I don’t always find that. I few little gem and had a great first year then last year was awful. My main problem with lettuce is they go to seed so easily. Think last year was just too hot for them and I prob didn’t water enough. Am finding that with my rocket even this early in the year and they are outside. Am trying romaine and cut and come again which I tend have less problems with.

[Scarlet]

I sow a small pinch in a pot every few weeks in the greenhouse to get them started. Then I stagger plant the seedlings into containers every couple of weeks. Keeping the seedlings in a small pot will check growth and they are fine for several weeks.
I keep this going from Feb - October.
Early in in the year the lettuces are kept in the GH as the extra protection and warmth bring them on faster and then in the warmer months they are kept outside.

I've 4 pots on the go at the moment at different stages.


Once they are planted up I stick some peas and mustard seeds in the pots to grow on inbetween the lettuces. I never pick them whole - harvest just the leaves.



An old wheel barrow - unfortunately it has had a few accidents. Teenagers and animals
I also grow a couple of trays of peas for peashoots.

[Bluenowhere]

I grew little gem last year. Sprinkled seeds in seed tray. Put in a little blow away growhouse until had true leaves, planted out in soil (kept fingers crossed that slugs left then alone) watered until looked like cos and then ate them.