germinating lettuce

happy232 8/9/2012, 4:45 pm

First off, thank you to all the amazing people on this board who have replied to my other topics.

I am planting some varieties of loose leaf lettuce and it is about 100 degrees here in Baltimore. I will germinate at home but I don't have anything fancy, just paper towel =) will that work to germinate lettuce? do I keep it warm and give it light or put it in the fridge?

Once it germinates, do I plant only 4 per square? or plant more and thin thinking

can kohlrabi be germinated like that also?

thank you all =) I will be a fancier gardener w/ cool mini pots for growing transplants come fall time =)

**walshevak** 8/9/2012, 8:45 pm

Lettuce needs light to germinate, but will not germinate in high temps. I would try some yogurt, margarine, cottage cheese tubs filled with MM or a seed starting medium and put on a window sill in an air conditioned area. Just sow the seeds on top of the soil and sprinkle a tiny bit of mix to hold the seeds in place. Keep moist. Then transplant 4 to a square into the garden with a little sun protection while it is still so hot.

Kay

cheyannarach 8/10/2012, 6:59 pm

When I plant it I just drop the seeds on the "soil" pat them a little and water them in! Good luck!

**bakermtb** 8/11/2012, 8:59 pm

happy232
I just started some lettuce seeds by using 2"peat pots and 4" plastic pots.
I used Mel's Mix to start the seeds.
I placed the seeds on top of the Mel's Mix and then sprinkled some fine MM on top of them to just cover the seeds. (They do need the light to germinate)
I watered them (small sprayer) and put them outside in the shade (back porch)
I kept the top moist until the germinated.
In a couple of days they came up and are doing fine. I slowly gave them some sun until hardened off. I would not keep them in the full sun for a while.
I used Romaine, Jericho, Mesclun
Mike

happy232 8/12/2012, 12:16 am

thanks all! i went ahead with the baggy method and they sprouted in 1 day! i will put them in the garden tomorrow. do i need to harden off such little 'baby' seeds?

thanks!

elliephant 8/12/2012, 11:22 am

happy232 wrote:thanks all! i went ahead with the baggy method and they sprouted in 1 day! i will put them in the garden tomorrow. do i need to harden off such little 'baby' seeds?

thanks!

I found that my broccoli and cauliflower that only had their seed leaves didn't need hardening off. I put them out in the evening, didn't give them any special treatment, and they were fine in 100+ temps the next day.

happy232 8/12/2012, 5:01 pm

my lettuce has germinated beautifully (i think!). do i just transplant 4 per square or more in case they die? thank you thank you =)

(**so nervous!!! =)

**walshevak** 8/12/2012, 6:22 pm

If you plan to do a lot of cut and come again trimming, you can plant more to a square. Put a few into solo cups to fill in later holes.

Check out this thread on leaf lettuce and spacing

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t5951-leaf-lettuce

Kay

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