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Old 01-11-2006, 01:03 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong if my hydroponic lettuce
instantly reaches for the sky instead of bunching?

the only clue I have was to ensure that the nutrient concentration is
increased and consistent, but that "advice" came from the comments of a
caught grower of hydroponic maryjane (as seen on TV recently {:-).
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Old 01-11-2006, 03:44 AM posted to aus.gardens
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"Terryc" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong if my hydroponic lettuce
instantly reaches for the sky instead of bunching?

the only clue I have was to ensure that the nutrient concentration is
increased and consistent, but that "advice" came from the comments of a
caught grower of hydroponic maryjane (as seen on TV recently {:-).


i know a bit about lettuce, but not hydroponics, so my uninformed thoughts
a
1: too much nitrogen?
2: it's too hot & they're not spindly, they're bolting?
3: not enough light?

what is your system like? how does it work? what else do you grow with it?
(very briefly unless it's your favourite subject & you just can't stop ;-)
kylie


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Old 01-11-2006, 02:03 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce

0tterbot wrote:

i know a bit about lettuce, but not hydroponics, so my uninformed thoughts
a
1: too much nitrogen?
2: it's too hot & they're not spindly, they're bolting?
3: not enough light?

what is your system like? how does it work? what else do you grow with it?
(very briefly unless it's your favourite subject & you just can't stop ;-)


This is an on again, off again thing.

Basically the nutrient is Part A added to Part B and mix at half
strength like it says on bottle.

Could be light as it was grown under 30% shade cloth. Basically gets the
full, morning sun, then the shade cloth cuts in as sun moves. I might
have to relocate it out into full sun and just start under a piece of
shade cloth.

Bolting is probably correct. Hot weather was a factor on some, but not
all. Did it even in winter.


OTOH, we scattered the seed heads from various lettuce last year on a
garden and this year we have about 25 square feet carpet of lettuce (Cos
style). We are amazed and have an elegant sufficency of lettuce for
tossed salads.

Even when they are obviously going to seed, they are doing it so slowly.
Received copious amounts of manure on the soil and lashing of worm wee.

i suspect they have their feet in so much nutrients that are bone idle.


Anyway, I am looking for peeps who might know to save me running a full
lot of experiments.

No good running them under 30% shade cloth if that is the problem.

Long term purpose, was
a) different sort of gardening,
b) indoor garden in "sun" room (has clear ceiling)

TIA
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Old 03-11-2006, 11:18 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce

"Terryc" wrote in message
news:45489b2e$0$4670$61c65585@un-2park-reader-

(snippage)

OTOH, we scattered the seed heads from various lettuce last year on a
garden and this year we have about 25 square feet carpet of lettuce (Cos
style). We are amazed and have an elegant sufficency of lettuce for tossed
salads.


that sounds lovely! most of what i know about lettuce was gleaned through
failure, not success g

Even when they are obviously going to seed, they are doing it so slowly.


ime, the word "bolting" is a bit of a misnomer. it's slow, but it's still
too soon!

Received copious amounts of manure on the soil and lashing of worm wee.

i suspect they have their feet in so much nutrients that are bone idle.


Anyway, I am looking for peeps who might know to save me running a full
lot of experiments.


that leaves me out, then ;-)

i'd do experiments though anyway (after all, you have enough lettuce
already, don't you, so it won't matter if the experiments fail g)

No good running them under 30% shade cloth if that is the problem.


i'd honestly think 30% shade cloth (in & of itself) is quite all right for
lettuce... you might be right about the juice they're growing in.
kylie the unhelpful


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Old 04-11-2006, 01:32 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce

0tterbot wrote:
"Terryc" wrote in message
news:45489b2e$0$4670$61c65585@un-2park-reader-

(snippage)


OTOH, we scattered the seed heads from various lettuce last year on a
garden and this year we have about 25 square feet carpet of lettuce (Cos
style). We are amazed and have an elegant sufficency of lettuce for tossed
salads.



that sounds lovely! most of what i know about lettuce was gleaned through
failure, not success g


That is(hopefully was) our normal situation. We have limited success
raising seedlings and planting them out. Seem to be have a lot more
success just scattering/broadcasting the seed and see what comes up.

It all started with a wrong compost. It just doesn't get the heat and
kill the seeds. So borage, tomatoes, capsicum, pumpkins etc survive and
sprout every time we spread some around.

Then what few lettuce seedlings survived bolted to seed (just like
coriander is doing now, sigh) and we just left all the seed heads in
this area.

We have a patch of english spinach that is all the spinach that popped
up everywhere else and was transplanted. Alas, all but 2 plants have
magnificent sead heads already.

Currently, we have one bed 10'x4' that I'm broadcasting various old
seeds (capsicum, spinach, lettuce and whatever else I find that we have
collected in the seed collection) onto, I'll scratch the surface, water
and sit back and see what happens. it seems to work better, than
purchased or raised seedlings/





Even when they are obviously going to seed, they are doing it so slowly.



ime, the word "bolting" is a bit of a misnomer. it's slow, but it's still
too soon.


exactly.



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Old 04-11-2006, 11:19 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce

"Terryc" wrote in message
...
that sounds lovely! most of what i know about lettuce was gleaned through
failure, not success g


That is(hopefully was) our normal situation. We have limited success
raising seedlings and planting them out. Seem to be have a lot more
success just scattering/broadcasting the seed and see what comes up.


i can well imagine, see below.

It all started with a wrong compost. It just doesn't get the heat and kill
the seeds. So borage, tomatoes, capsicum, pumpkins etc survive and sprout
every time we spread some around.

Then what few lettuce seedlings survived bolted to seed (just like
coriander is doing now, sigh) and we just left all the seed heads in this
area.


ooh, jackie french would LOVE you ;-)

i don't mind a bit of jackie french myself (in small doses) so what it looks
like is happening there is that the strong hardy ones who consider
themselves in a good location will just carry on - the duds will die & you
won't necessarily notice. i suppose the half-duds live, but bolt. if and
when you interfere, you might not be actually improving anything (in the
plant's view - if you could say plants have a "view"). i'm really trying not
to be such an anal micro-manager for this reason - i'm just noticing that my
interference just isn't necessarily any use unless i know from experience
i'm doing good interference, not just trying to bend the plants to my will.
i'm trying to keep in mind what seem to be contributing factors - e.g. i put
up a rock to shade one spinach plant, only to discover stored heat from the
rock is causing it to die. it's neighbour plant which in my anal
micro-manager opinion gets "too much sun", is as happy as a clam. so, what
do i know? i don't! the spinach does, though, so i've decided to listen to
them. and i'll put rocks up for plants that like warmth, not for shade, duh!

We have a patch of english spinach that is all the spinach that popped up
everywhere else and was transplanted. Alas, all but 2 plants have
magnificent sead heads already.

Currently, we have one bed 10'x4' that I'm broadcasting various old seeds
(capsicum, spinach, lettuce and whatever else I find that we have
collected in the seed collection) onto, I'll scratch the surface, water
and sit back and see what happens. it seems to work better, than purchased
or raised seedlings/


i bet it does. i wouldn't mind an update in a few months! i raise a lot of
seedlings these days, it's certainly a totally different thing to what
you're going to do with that bed. it's extremely artificial, in many ways &
i suspect the artificiality leads to problems down the track.
kylie


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Old 04-11-2006, 03:56 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce

0tterbot wrote:
and i'll put rocks up for plants that like warmth, not for shade, duh!


We have a rock patch, but that was aimed at encouraging the skinks and
to give them somewhere to hide from the cat. {:-)


Currently, we have one bed 10'x4' that I'm broadcasting various old seeds
(capsicum, spinach, lettuce and whatever else I find that we have
collected in the seed collection) onto, I'll scratch the surface, water
and sit back and see what happens. it seems to work better, than purchased
or raised seedlings/



i bet it does. i wouldn't mind an update in a few months!


I will try to remember. Ifthis rain keeps up, whe should get a goot
shooting.

i raise a lot of
seedlings these days, it's certainly a totally different thing to what
you're going to do with that bed. it's extremely artificial, in many ways &
i suspect the artificiality leads to problems down the track.


swmbo does the seedling raising and planting out. I'm just the garden
labourer {:-). lug the bags of poo, sieve the compost, dig the garden
that sort of thing. it is just that we have both noticed the problems
with seedlings bolting and are head scratching.


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Old 05-11-2006, 11:01 AM posted to aus.gardens
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"Terryc" wrote in message
...

swmbo does the seedling raising and planting out. I'm just the garden
labourer {:-). lug the bags of poo, sieve the compost, dig the garden that
sort of thing.


cor, i wish i had a garden labourer. i'm my own garden labourer. :-( i
refuse to dig post holes, though!!!

it is just that we have both noticed the problems
with seedlings bolting and are head scratching.


thinking about it a little more & unsure where you are, it could be the
weather. our weather's been mental. perhaps yours has too. not that there's
anything you can do about that.
kylie


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