Thinning Lettuce

[Solitaire]

Being new to growing I seeded my lettuce too close together and they are very bunched up, although still at the first leaf stage how do I replant them and should I leave it until they are bigger.

[terrier]

I would let them grow a lot bigger then eat the thinnings, the ones left you can grow on to full plants. I pack an old Belfast sink full of mixed lettuce seed and eat the leaves as they grow and it lasts for months.

[coreopsis]

As terrier says.You can pull out a few and plant them separately if you want a "proper" lettuce

[Solitaire]

Thanks I'll do that, now when I put seeds in I plant them well apart.

[Two_Sheds]

Thanks I'll do that, now when I put seeds in I plant them well apart.

the packet should tell you how far apart

[Solitaire]

They do Two Sheds, but the packets are in French and although I try and translate them, it sometimes isn't that clear

[gojiberry]

I usually sow my lettuce in a 5" pot and when big enough prick out into a standard seed tray (24 plants to a tray). I know a lot of people don't like pricking out but it is a job I like and so it is one of the reasons for doing it this way.Have loads of lettuce out on the lottie (as well as what I have given away) and I have about 8 trays on the go at various stages from pricking out.

Ian

[Topcat36]

I dont thin mine out, i just sow thinly to begin with, i find that works best for me. Then i just keep sowing every 3-4 weeks. Everyone has there own way it's a case of trying out what works best for you, that's the fun of it.


Seeing that you have sowed yours tho you are going to have to thin them out , i've done the same with some raddish , but they are easy to thin so don't mind.

[BarleySugar]

I usually sow them in modules, 2 seeds each, then if both grow, put the 'spare' in another cell. When they are decent size, 3-4 leaves, I plant them out in the garden for 'lettuces', or put several in a pot, closer together, for salad leaves. This way they are bigger before the slugs have a chance to attack