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#1
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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 {:-). |
#2
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Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce
"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 |
#3
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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 |
#4
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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 |
#5
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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. |
#6
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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 |
#7
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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. |
#8
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Skyrocket Hydroponic Lettuce
"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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