Is it possible to have lettuce all summer. Not all at once like I got .
Around may or June . until it bolted.

"DogDiesel" wrote:
Is it possible to have lettuce all summer. Not all at once like I
got .
Around may or June . until it bolted.

Yes, stagger your planting times for the head and leaf lettuces.
For the leaf lettuces one can tear off leaves as needed. Leaf lettuces
can go from seed to plate in about 30 days and the leaf lettuces tend
expire after 60 days.

Head lettuces take most of the summer to grow. For me when the leaf
lettuces come to an end, the head lettuces start to come in for a change
of taste at the end of summer and fall months. One can get two harvest
from each plant. Do not harvest the whole plant, cut the head inside of
the plant and on the small side instead of letting them get large and a
new head will start to grow for a second harvest. (my preference, others
here may have a different view).

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

"Dan L" wrote in message
...
"DogDiesel" wrote:
Is it possible to have lettuce all summer. Not all at once like I
got .
Around may or June . until it bolted.

Yes, stagger your planting times for the head and leaf lettuces.
For the leaf lettuces one can tear off leaves as needed. Leaf lettuces
can go from seed to plate in about 30 days and the leaf lettuces tend
expire after 60 days.

Head lettuces take most of the summer to grow. For me when the leaf
lettuces come to an end, the head lettuces start to come in for a change
of taste at the end of summer and fall months. One can get two harvest
from each plant. Do not harvest the whole plant, cut the head inside of
the plant and on the small side instead of letting them get large and a
new head will start to grow for a second harvest. (my preference, others
here may have a different view).

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)



There's my problem. I planted all leaf lettuce . It was awesome for about a
month.

I knew I had lettuce all summer gardening before.

Thank YOU!!!!!!

I'm in Ohio, Great lakes . Suppose im 5 or 6.

If you are a bit mechanical and on a budget try making one of these or
something similar :

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

what this doesn't show is you should use 12-16 oz plastic picnic cups
to fit inside the pop bottles fill these with some washed gravel,
hydroton ( expanded clay) or even glass marbles, aquarium gravel or
pumice rock works as well, you just need something to support the
plant as it grow and grow it will... so much so the roots will
sometimes clog the drain lines. so watch for signs of wilt. use an
soldiering iron the make the holes in the cups, better than a knife or
punch. picture he http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/images/11.jpg

just germinate new starters in agri rock wool or rubber plugs on a 2-3
week schedule so when you harvest one you can drop another in its
place for a continuous harvest. I am able to grow lettuces/mix for
most months of the year, I tear it down and clean/flush it a couple
times a year.

Leave some to develop full head, others for microgreens, throw some
herbs chervil is good maybe even baby carrots for their tops in there
as well.

For really cool periods in a Greenhouse use an aquarium heater and/or
consider further insulation of your solution tank*. For really cold
periods further make a bubble warp enclosure to protect and still
allow light in

A cheap 10$ shop light will supply enough supplemental light to grow
greens in most places if you use it inside or have such overcast sky
as we do in the PNW.

*good insulated cooler ( with drain) works better than the Rubbermaid
tubs, but they are ~/= 35$ to the Rubber Maid's 5-7$. you can use
building styrofoam insulation to surround the rubber maid bu tyour
back around the cost of an cooler again.

a pretty cool vertical setup:
http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/ima...tical_6_30.jpg

"Gunner" wrote in message
...
If you are a bit mechanical and on a budget try making one of these or
something similar :

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

what this doesn't show is you should use 12-16 oz plastic picnic cups
to fit inside the pop bottles fill these with some washed gravel,
hydroton ( expanded clay) or even glass marbles, aquarium gravel or
pumice rock works as well, you just need something to support the
plant as it grow and grow it will... so much so the roots will
sometimes clog the drain lines. so watch for signs of wilt. use an
soldiering iron the make the holes in the cups, better than a knife or
punch. picture he http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/images/11.jpg

just germinate new starters in agri rock wool or rubber plugs on a 2-3
week schedule so when you harvest one you can drop another in its
place for a continuous harvest. I am able to grow lettuces/mix for
most months of the year, I tear it down and clean/flush it a couple
times a year.

Leave some to develop full head, others for microgreens, throw some
herbs chervil is good maybe even baby carrots for their tops in there
as well.

For really cool periods in a Greenhouse use an aquarium heater and/or
consider further insulation of your solution tank*. For really cold
periods further make a bubble warp enclosure to protect and still
allow light in

A cheap 10$ shop light will supply enough supplemental light to grow
greens in most places if you use it inside or have such overcast sky
as we do in the PNW.

*good insulated cooler ( with drain) works better than the Rubbermaid
tubs, but they are ~/= 35$ to the Rubber Maid's 5-7$. you can use
building styrofoam insulation to surround the rubber maid bu tyour
back around the cost of an cooler again.

a pretty cool vertical setup:
http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/ima...tical_6_30.jpg




I appreciate the ideas. I've got a room of hydroponics and aeroponic
equipment in my basement. Its hard to justify $50 of electricity a month
for $50 worth of salad. In 3 months. I've never got it where it breaks
even. I got it once where I had a bunch of plants. And the electric was
over $300 a month. I was glad to shut it down . When I got laid off. And
put everything outside.

Even my Aero garden has 250 watt lights in it. Which is kind of a
worthless unit. Which is about $20 a month.

On Oct 13, 8:15*pm, "DogDiesel" wrote:
"Gunner" wrote in message

...



If you are a bit mechanical and on a budget try making one of these or
something similar :

http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/11plan01.htm

what this doesn't show is you should use 12-16 oz plastic picnic cups
to fit inside the pop bottles fill these with some washed gravel,
hydroton ( expanded clay) *or even glass marbles, *aquarium gravel or
pumice rock works as well, you just need something to support the
plant as it grow and grow it will... so much so *the roots will
sometimes clog the drain lines. * so watch for signs of wilt. *use an
soldiering iron the make the holes in the cups, better than a knife or
punch. picture hehttp://www.hydroponicsonline.com/images/11.jpg

just germinate new starters in agri rock wool or rubber plugs on a 2-3
week schedule so when you harvest one you can drop another in its
place for a continuous harvest. *I am able to grow lettuces/mix for
most months of the year, *I *tear it down and clean/flush it a couple
times a year.

Leave some to develop full head, others for microgreens, throw some
herbs chervil is good maybe *even baby carrots for their tops in there
as well.

For really cool periods in a Greenhouse use an aquarium heater and/or
consider further insulation of your solution tank*. For really cold
periods *further make a bubble warp enclosure to protect and still
allow light in

A cheap 10$ shop light will supply enough supplemental light to grow
greens in most places if you use it inside or have such overcast sky
as we do in the PNW.

*good insulated cooler ( with drain) works better than the Rubbermaid
tubs, but they are ~/= 35$ *to the Rubber Maid's 5-7$. you can use
building *styrofoam insulation *to surround the rubber maid bu tyour
back around the cost of an cooler again.

a pretty cool vertical setup:
http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/ima...en/6vertical_6...

I appreciate *the ideas. I've got a *room of hydroponics and aeroponic
equipment in my basement. *Its hard to justify *$50 of electricity a month
for $50 worth of salad. * In 3 months. I've never got it where it breaks
even. * I got it once where I had a bunch of plants. And *the electric was
over $300 a month. I was glad to shut it down . *When I got laid off. And
put everything outside.

Even my Aero garden has * 250 watt lights in it. Which is kind of a
worthless unit. *Which is about $20 a month.

I have a hydroponic greenhouse and have just had my fall / winter crop
of lettuces sprout. There are tons of tiny little plants, how much
should I thin them out? I want as much lettuce as I can but there has
to be balance.

MJ

I’m not doubting your word but "$50 of electricity a month for $50
worth of salad"... ouch! As for $300….. double ouch…..What is your kWh
cost?

I can only think you have to be using some very high wattage lights
for a energy bill that high. The hydraulics part of the system are
not expensive to run. So I hope you don’t think Hydroponics and grow-
lights as a mutually inclusive entity. Take your crop outside with
the rest of your veggies to take advantage of the sun. I agree the
250 w Aerogarden is proprietary crap. Like comparing a . 22 cal
pellet rifle with a .22 mag rifle.

I understood you to ask about a continuous or sustainable lettuce
crop cycle in your growing season. LIke you I want a system that
avoids one big harvest. I want fresh greens as I go. My 11 plant
system is that for me. I understand dirt will give similiar results
for some. As for energy consumption my 11 plant system consumes
~31w when running ( a 400gph water pump @25w +an air pump @ 6 w) ).
Cycle time is variable w/ plant requirements. Hotter climates you
may have more cycle times. but say 5 -8 times @ 5 mins ea. a day
here in my climate. so the daily on-time is an hour. . 31w @ an
hour a day

So using the cost calculator @ http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html
I’ll round up and use the 60w figure @ 1 hour a day for 30 days a
month @ my cost of .06 cents/kWh (relatively inexpensive here). That
is ~ 11 cents a mo. or $1.32 a year, so about 65 cents of electricity
for a 6 month growing season outdoors? Even @ 15 cents a kWh its only ~
$3.24 a year. So for the ease I have of "pull one- plant one”. I’m
willing to pay that and still believe the 11 plant system or similar
such is a very flexible approach that might answer your needs. It’s
just a bit different way to staggering your plants. Each container is
in various stages of growth. Early on we use micro greens, later,
it’s baby, then perhaps leave a head to finish. its all use one…
plant one… all in a 2 x 3 foot area. 11 plants staggered out over
their 30-40 day growth cycle. We started in March and it’s still
running, with ambient temps down to 38f in the AM this last week. The
system plants didn’t bolt like the ground crops did in our mini heat
wave. This automates the process of watering/fertilizing w/ no
weeding. As well my incident rate of pest/disease has greatly
decreased, especially slugs. Again your results may vary.

I am also not of the opinion that lights are too expensive to run.
Just pick the right engine for the vehicle, a 3x3 area of greens only
needs 250W, 1000w will power ( and heat) a 8x8’ room quite well. If
I wanted to put this system under lighting indoors during the winter
I would use either a T5HO tube setup( 180$) or a 250 w Metal Halide
(approx the same$$) ( both are best for green leafy stuff that don’t
flower), and at my 6 cents it is 7.92 a month to run 16 hours a day .
Lettuce/greens are running 1.50-1.70 a head, the triple washed boxes
are 2.50-3.00 a box now. So its pretty much an equal wash for me and
using the adage oft heard here; its always best if you control the
grow.

I have read someone using the figure 100w=100$ a year , 200w=2004,
etc for quick calculations. However use this for cost calculator
from sunlight supply to plug your numbers in and get better cost
figures,: http://www.n-g-w.com/ngw/literature/..._powercost.pdf

BTW what was your water bill for your garden this year?

what kind of Hydro system are you running and to what end?
microgreens, baby lettuces or head lettuces.

That is some expensive lettuce...