Most all of us gardeners have tried growing lettuce know how quickly it will bolt. We had a frost Tuesday night and I think our high on Saturday is supposed to be 88. Can’t plant tomatoes and peppers while there’s still frost. Tomatoes are not happy when temps get up that high. Peppers will love the 88 degrees. The temps will go back down to a normal range but it’s so hard to have a garden . . doesn’t really matter where we live, every area has their own issues.
I’m trying to figure out how I can extend the growing cycle of lettuce and I’m trying something new this year. So far, it’s working but summer heat will tell.
This is an Asian type green of some kind that I picked yesterday morning to use in our frittata. I want to be able to do that kind of thing all summer. I want to be able to have fresh lettuce from our garden for our daily salads.
Here’s my experiment:
I spread seeds very densely in a container of seed starter soil. I will keep it moist and keep it in the greenhouse til the sprouts are about the size of those shown above.
Then I cut the whole thing into small squares . . about 3″ x 3″ but I don’t measure. I then pull the square into about 6 pieces, or plugs, and plant those, spreading them in a large, shallow planter. Lettuce doesn’t have deep roots so there’s no need wasting potting soil filling a deep container. I
About three weeks ago, I transferred 9 or 10 plugs of sprouted lettuce/greens into a long planter and we’ve been eating salads from this lettuce out of this one planter for the last 6 days. The greens I picked yesterday morning came from this planter. There are some lime colored greens, some regular greens, some red lettuce and that dark green spinach looking green.
My plan is to start more seeds in the greenhouse every two weeks and, at that same time, take plugs from the previous planting and plant them in planters that I can keep in the shady area of the back yard. My hope is that I can get two to three weeks worth of lettuce from each successive planting before it bolts.
I’m also thinking I can leave the greens out in the back yard in the morning and let them get some morning sun, then in the hottest part of the day, bring them into the basement garage where it’s cool. I may even use a grow light. Having home grown lettuce is worth it.
Time will tell if my plan works.
montanaclarks says
Mike built a grow box in Arizona this past season and it was so good to have our own lettuce! He kept a light in the box on cold nights and the lettuce and radishes didn’t freeze. He’s getting ready to plant lettuce in a big planter here in Montana. Lettuce is one thing we CAN grow in Montana! I couldn’t find romaine lettuce in Billings the other day–not at Costco, not at Walmart.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
It’s crazy and when I do find it here, it’s about half the size it used to be and twice as much. All greens will bolt so fast here in the summer so I’m hoping successive planting will work. If not, Vince ordered a large grow light and we’ll grow it in the basement garage. Not only do I not want to pay the price for storebought lettuce but I try to go to the store no more than once every two weeks and it doesn’t always keep that long. Good luck growing yours! It will be great to have it without it bolting in the heat.
Char says
Parris Island Cos Romaine Lettuce Does well in the heat and it is slow to turn bitter when it does finally bolt. It lasted last summer through July before it finally bolted; I harvested the outer leaves and left the inner leaves to mature. I live in the desert of Eastern Washington and our summers are hot over 100.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I have not seen (or maybe didn’t pay attention) to that variety but I will look for it. Thanks!
Susan says
Best of luck with your lettuce!