everything!

[snoppers]

cant find the search button ,i ve got a few questions.
Im growing lettuce in guttering and the bottom leaves are going yellow and dying while new ones are forming in the middle, is this normal? and will they eventually grow into the heart.
  does burpless cucumbers grow along the ground or is it a climber?
has anyone elses spinach not germinated?
im sure i ve got loads more questions but i ve forgot
cheers for your help
   snoppers

[snoppers]

[Mrs Ava]

Hi there,
The lower leaves on my lettuce tend to die or go slimey, but as the plants fill out this stops and in no time they start to heart up.  I find sowing directly at this time of year much better, the plants seem much stronger and to be honest, quicker growing than those sown in trays at this time of year.

You can grow your cucumber along the ground, as I do with some, or up a bamboo or net, as I also do.  Depends on how you want to grow it.  The only thing you may need to keep an eye on is slugs munching on the developing fruits if it is on the ground.

I don't sow spinach until August as mine bolts to readily on the plot, and to be honest, I prefer it as an autumn/winter veg for both salads and hot meals.  I don't normally have a problem with it germinating.  Are you sowing it directly in the ground or in trays?

[supersprout]

I don't sow spinach until August as mine bolts to readily on the plot, and to be honest, I prefer it as an autumn/winter veg

At that time of the year, I have no trouble with germination. You've plenty of time to sow again if you do want summer spinach, some people sow spinach in succession so they can just pull the whole young plant for salads. I sow mine on home made seed tapes in August or September - that way you can space about 1" apart and thin gradually to 6" apart for overwintering plants, munching as you go! ;D

[saddad]

If you have trouble with real spinach, try spinach beet/perpetual spinach, very reliable, but even that, a form of beetroot, has struggled to germinate from direct sowing this year!

[adrianhumph]

Hi all,  :D
               Just echoing saddad`s comment, I too had problems germinating leaf beet, I grow bright lights & it has always been reliable in the past . This year I have only had 2 plants from several attemps at sowing. Still 2 plants will provide lots of leaves right through the year.
                                      Adrian.

[sand]

what a relief, I was beginning to lose heart as my chard and spinach have been rubbish at germinating in the ground.  Just sewed at few in trays and they are doing well, i hope they plant out ok

sand

[artichoke]

Lettuce in guttering: I don't think you are meant to keep them in the guttering. I started mine off in guttering, then transplanted them into raised bed at allotment and they are huge. Yes, the first leaves are yellow, but the hearts, with real earth underneath them, are huge and green (or red, depending).

[saddad]

We went back to sowing in cells for the beet/chard/spinach now have three x 48 cells to transplant.... some of the third sowing of carrots are finally showing!
;D

[snoppers]

cheers for your replys, wahat about spinach where the potatoes have been?

[supersprout]

That should be fine snoppers :)