Loosecanon wrote
Rod Speed wrote

I dont know that much about growing veg, first time this spring/summer.

The first couple of batches of lettuce did fine, First batch was mignonettes,
planted from seedlings from bunnings, transplanted early sep, took a bit of
time to start but then did fine. Second batch was cos, planted mid
oct from seedlings from bunnings again.

They both went to seed after a very hot spell in mid Nov, got quite
a few leaves to eat until then.

I've since planted some more icebers, 'salad mix', cos, and lollo rossa, mostly
from seedings from bunnings, but the salad mix from someone flogging
them at the sunday market.

None of them have done much except the icebergs.
They havent died, just havent done much growth wise.

The icebergs did grow noticeably, up to big bigger than a large grapefruit size,
but no hearts. Since the first two batches had gone to seed I did start using
leaves off the small icebergs. Now even the icebergs seen to have stopped.

We have had much hotter weather obviously, in fact a couple of patches of a week or so over 40C, with some rather
cooler times in between.

They get plenty of water, once a day from one of those
soaker hoses that sort of weep water rather than spray it.

Is it just that they dont like the very hot weather ?

The net seems to suggest that thats the problem.

Are there any varietys that do much better in the very hot weather ?

Lettuces were originally a winter crop. It was selection of plants
that could withstand hotter conditions in summer that sees us have
them all year round. I would guess that they are not good over 35C as most would have been developed in the northern
hemisphere.

Yeah, that figures, and like I said, we have had two decent stretches over 40C too.

Due for another later this week too.

Lettuce prices in real hot weather go through the roof so it would make sense.

They havent here. I got an iceberg last week for $1.39 which is about as low as it gets.

My uncle has success over summer in a shadehouse so maybe the sunlight is to intense outdoors.

OK, I'll try some shadecloth with the 4 varietys that are doing nothing much.

Thats in a separate area to the latest Lettuce Combo.

Someone must be growing them, maybe they are coming from New Zealand.