Topic: When to put lettuce in the ground?

[Digitalis]

My lettuce seeds have just popped their heads above the compost:


When should I be looking at getting them in the ground outside?

[saddad]

Three weeks to a month... when they put out a true leaf prick them out into cells. Grow on until a good size, then less likely to disappear to our friendly molluscs...  :-X

[GodfreyRob]

Depends a bit on where you live - they are not too delicate but a frost will certainly give them a bad shock (if its too hard it might kill them off).

I would aim to put them outside only after the frosts have gone from your location. Keep them sheltered until then, growing in pots if you have enough of them.

[Pescador]

The only lettuce I'm putting in the ground are any leaves left over from the sald preparation!

They're going in the bottom of the runner bean trench with the other compostable waste.

[lightyears]

i put some garden centre bought lettuce in the ground yesterday, but they are under a double covering of that fleece stuff. they seem to be alright today after a light frost last night

[reddyreddy]

I've planted some outside and some in trays in the greenhouse. If there is still frost when the outside ones come up I'll lay a fleece on at night. Should be fine, I think!

[Digitalis]

My lettuce seeds are growing skywards, and are quite spindly. I have moved them to a lighter area of my house where the sun shines.

They are growing quite close together, and a few are seemingly growing three stems. Should I be thinning them out?

[kt.]

My lettuce seeds are growing skywards, and are quite spindly. I have moved them to a lighter area of my house where the sun shines.  Should I be thinning them out?

Mine were doing the same.  I have just potted them on into individual cells today - buried up to their necks now in multipurpose PB compost ;)

[Eristic]

Can I just point out that any seedling started off indoors must be hardened off properly before planting outside otherwise they will die of shock.

[PurpleHeather]

Last year I put mine out when they had filled their individual pots. I covered them with a cloche.

The main reason was to protect from frost of course but it in fact meant that they were kept very clean compared to lettuce which is left exposed. Still needed washing of course.

I had 'all year round lettuce and little gem' they were lifted early because I was doing succession sowing, more stuff was ready to go in, you know how it goes, but they were lovely tender little lettuce and my elderly friends who help me eat my surplus were delighted with them too.

This year, because I of last years success, I am doing the same again and my babies have been potted up for a week now in a cold frame. One having been consumed by a now deceased slug.

[Digitalis]

Crowded lettuce seedlings:

Are they too crowded? If so, what should I do?

[tonybloke]

learn to sow your seed less thickly!! ;)
get the propagator lid off of them, get them in full sun!, then when they start to develop a true leaf you can prick them out into large modules. ;)

[saddad]

That's quite thinly sown by OH's standards...  :-X

[manicscousers]

when mine go like that, I put 3 or 4 per pot up to their seed leaves and grow as salad leaves, instead of full lettuce, don't chuck them out they are edible  ;D