Lettuce isn't heading

[Richard Evans]

I have Romaine lettuce in my container garden that is doing fine, but
I have a half dozen plants of head lettuce that aren't showing any
sign of heading. In fact, they look very much like the Romaine: Long
stalks with leaves at the tips.

Any ideas?

[Craig Watts]

Richard Evans wrote:
> I have Romaine lettuce in my container garden that is doing fine, but
> I have a half dozen plants of head lettuce that aren't showing any
> sign of heading. In fact, they look very much like the Romaine: Long
> stalks with leaves at the tips.
>
> Any ideas?

We gave up on head lettuce years ago. Never had luck with it
heading. We grow all leaf (Bibb, Black Seeded Simpson,...).
Our Romaine was harvested 2 weeks ago and did very well the
last 3 years. It is getting just to hot now.

Pull the leaves and eat it as is.

Craig

[Richard Evans]

Craig Watts > wrote:

>Richard Evans wrote:
>> I have Romaine lettuce in my container garden that is doing fine, but
>> I have a half dozen plants of head lettuce that aren't showing any
>> sign of heading. In fact, they look very much like the Romaine: Long
>> stalks with leaves at the tips.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>
>We gave up on head lettuce years ago. Never had luck with it
>heading. We grow all leaf (Bibb, Black Seeded Simpson,...).
>Our Romaine was harvested 2 weeks ago and did very well the
>last 3 years. It is getting just to hot now.
>

Good to know. I'll add it to my notes for next year.

[pakrat@usenet.pr.neotoma.org]

On Fri, 29 May 2009 20:18:54 -0400 in > Richard Evans > wrote:
> I have Romaine lettuce in my container garden that is doing fine, but
> I have a half dozen plants of head lettuce that aren't showing any
> sign of heading. In fact, they look very much like the Romaine: Long
> stalks with leaves at the tips.
>
> Any ideas?

Too hot, it's preparing to bolt.
The corn is now high enough that I'm going to try
the experiment of lettuce in corn to provide shade and coolness, but I
doubt it'll work.

Start more lettuce in august and september for the fall.
And get some white spun fabric row covers to protect it from frost.
if the colo box had not gone off the air, I could have grabbed a chunk for
you from one of the local nurseries that puts it on their greenhouses
every winter and then throws it away each spring (Nevermind that the product
is rated for 5 years use in fields).


--
Chris Dukes
< davej> eskimos have hundreds of words for snow. I have two. Bullshit.

[Richard Evans]

>Start more lettuce in august and september for the fall.

When should I put it out next spring?

[pakrat@usenet.pr.neotoma.org]

On Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:51:03 -0400 in > Richard Evans > wrote:
>>Start more lettuce in august and september for the fall.
>
> When should I put it out next spring?

Hrm, I think I started my lettuce in january, and put it out in the
garden in february. And took to watching 3 weather reports twice a day
to see if I needed to cover them for the night.

First romaine lettuce I sold was around the last week of march.
Last lettuce sold was about 3 weeks ago.

There are bibb type lettuces that are slower to bolt,
I haven't found a variety that doesn't get too bitter for the
rest of the family.
--
Chris Dukes
< davej> eskimos have hundreds of words for snow. I have two. Bullshit.

[Richard Evans]

wrote:

>On Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:51:03 -0400 in > Richard Evans > wrote:
>>>Start more lettuce in august and september for the fall.
>>
>> When should I put it out next spring?
>
>Hrm, I think I started my lettuce in january,

From seed? I started mine from plants in early April. I naively
assumed that if it was for sale it was appropriate for planting.

[pakrat@usenet.pr.neotoma.org]

On Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:26:14 -0400 in > Richard Evans > wrote:
> wrote:
>
>>Hrm, I think I started my lettuce in january,
>
> From seed? I started mine from plants in early April. I naively
> assumed that if it was for sale it was appropriate for planting.

Yes, started from seed indoors. That was thinned and thinnings planted
in the garden around february.
When i do it again for this fall, I'll use one of the greenhouse flats with
the cells you fill with starter mix, ditto for next year.
--
Chris Dukes
< davej> eskimos have hundreds of words for snow. I have two. Bullshit.