lettuce

[milly2306]

hi
why can't i grow lettuce? melon, aubergines, sweetcorn - no problem but when it comes to the more exotic lettuce i just can't grow them!! any tips please?
xxxmillyxxx

[tamsin]

What goes wrong?

[milly2306]

hi
everything
the seeds germinate, get to about 2 inches and then die!!

[Sanjo]

Are you growing them in a greenhouse Milly. They like cooler conditions. I left some in my greenhouse (Winter Density) but they didn't like it. Dumped them in their pots outside and they have picked up. Likewise, I have quite a few ordinary Little Gem which were germinated last autumn in the ground. They have been under a fleece cover all winter and have now started to heart up. They aren't tough like I thought they would be.
Perhaps you are mollycoddling them a bit?

[teakdesk]

Possible reasons

Over-watering
Watering from the top instead of below
Not enough light
Too much heat

[gojiberry]

My lettuce don't go any where near the greenhouse. Don't sow them to thickly as they are prone to damping off and I would have transplanted them at about an inch high. Have about 10 varieties on the go at the moment and all growing well.

Ian

[Alice]

Looks like you can grow things that like it hot Milly. Lettuce likes it cool, shady and damp. If your kitchen garden is south facing, dry and sunny you could put some in a container on the shady side of the house. Hope this helps.

[Flummery]

If you've got a shady area where not much else in the veg line can be put, it's ideal for lettuce. Most salad crops like it cool and damp. Good luck!