Growing lettuce in containers...

[Likac66]

I have a limited amount of space in my garden and I grow everything in pots/bags etc. I have some lettuce in small peat pots ready to transplant and I'm wondering the best way to plant them using the minimum amount of room/compost.

Lots of the tubs I have are at least 10" tall and I kind of figure lettuce doesn't really need that amount of depth so I was thinking of perhaps growbags, but I don't like the look of them. But I could have them in the bottom of my greenhouse. I grow salad leaves and spring onions just straight into seed trays with plenty of success.

I do have some stacking strawberry planters - you know, the ones with 3 or 4 pots joined together that stack on top of each other. I have had no luck with strawberries anyway so haven't bothered with them this year. What are people's opinions of attempting lettuce in them? Has anyone tried this?

I have lollo rosso, red salad bowl and "All year round" ready to plant.

Ooh, and while I'm thinking about it, I have rather too many tomato plants for the room I've got. Those upside down hanging thingies? Are they actually any good? I don't think I've actually seen anyone successfully use them.

Thanks for any advice and opinions.

[zazen999]

a - you can grow lettuce practically anywhere
b - better off in pots IMHO

[Moo's Mum]

I grow alot of my lettuce/salad leaves in containers too as I grow in my garden and so dont have a huge amount of soace. I use the long, shallow-ish trough type planters. I think they were only a pound or two from the "cheapy" shops. I dont spend a lot of money on things like that!! I'm a fan of recycling and upcycling and will use anything and everything as a container. I've never used the strawberry planters, but cant see no reason not to use them. Perhaps just give it a go to see.
As for your toms, my sister uses the upside down things. She's had to experiment with varieties, and I think it's Tumbler (?) she's had most success with.
Hope this is of help x

[flowertot]

I know the growbags aren't pretty but I've grown cos lettuce in them for the past two years and its been a roaring success. I just put cross slits through the plastic and plant into those. Because its only me that eats lettuce I just harvest a few leaves as I want them and I had plenty of lettuce until the first frosts from 6-8 seedlings. Prior to growing my own I used to use those pre washed bags of salad, lots of which ended up in the bin so I reckon lettuce was one of my big money savers last year.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I grow everything in a container of one sort or another.

First pic shows my Lolla Rosa. The second might be of interest its Mesclun a french cut and come again spicy salad mix.

Colin

[Gemmalaveen]

I grow quite a bit of my veg in containers and last year I grew Lolla Rossa and other lettuce in a stackable strawberry planter - worked a treat!

I also sneak Little Gem lettuce in wherever I can, especially at the base of tomato plants which I grow in flower buckets. I know lettuce does not need the same high potash feed I give the tomatoes but it doesn't seem to do it any harm - they both like loads of water which keeps things simple.

My best purchase to date for container growing is a moisture meter - it has really made a difference to my workload!

[Bren In Pots]

I used to grow all my crops in containers and lettuce used to do really well in those troughs same as the ones in Colins photos.

I sow "All year round" lettuce at the beginning of August then it goes in my Greenhouse to use over winter as cut and come again leaves.

[Florence Fennel]

I've got some Little Gem in flower tubs with vaseline around the edge to keep the slugs off, I've some in a basket and I've others dotted around and between in the beds. I've never grown tomatoes in anything but flower buckets.

[dominic10]

Vaseline - what a good idea. I seem to have a preponderance of slugs/snails this year. As well as sandhoppers. I grow salad leaves and lettuces at home in toughs as well as my tomatoes as it is easier to water and pick them.

[Likac66]

I planted the lettuce in the strawberry pots at the weekend and they look happy enough.