Mesclun planting

ashort 3/22/2011, 12:50 am

I have planted two squares of mesclun so far this year. I have no idea how to plant it, I just kinda spread a bunch of seeds over the square leaving a 1-2 in border and then covered it up. Is this the right way to plant it?

dizzygardener 3/22/2011, 1:20 am

Yep. That's all it takes. Mesclun is really really easy. All it needs is a light covering of soil and you are good to go.

**Furbalsmom** 3/22/2011, 4:22 am

I guess it depends on whether you intend to pull the thinnings for your salads or whether you intend to do cut and come again harvesting.

If you can deal with the teeny tiny size of the seeds, and set 16 seeds in a square foot, then you can just pick the outer leaves of each plant to fill in your salad.

If you broadcast or spread a bunch of seeds, you will find it is much too densely planted, so you will need to thin the lettuces when they get up to about 2 inches, back to about 3 or 4 inches apart, but those thinnings will make a great salad too!

dizzygardener 3/22/2011, 10:28 am

Furbalsmom wrote:...so you will need to thin the lettuces when they get up to about 2 inches, back to about 3 or 4 inches apart, but those thinnings will make a great salad too!

Mmm, micro-greens! Very Happy

Isn't it amazing how much they charge for micro-greens in stores when really all they are are thinning/young seedlings?

ashort 3/22/2011, 12:39 pm

So I am bit confused. Why would I not just buy several varieties seeds of leafy lettuce such as red oak, red bowl, frisee, and crate my own mix?

dizzygardener 3/22/2011, 3:57 pm

ashort wrote:So I am bit confused. Why would I not just buy several varieties seeds of leafy lettuce such as red oak, red bowl, frisee, and crate my own mix?

You most certainly could. There nothing stopping you have creating your own Mesclun mix. I think for a lot of people, buying a prepackaged Mesclun mix is less expensive (and less wasteful since there wouldn't be a lot of seeds left) than buying 5-6 different lettuces and greens individually.

**camprn** 3/22/2011, 4:13 pm

ashort wrote:I have planted two squares of mesclun so far this year. I have no idea how to plant it, I just kinda spread a bunch of seeds over the square leaving a 1-2 in border and then covered it up. Is this the right way to plant it?

This is the way I sow Very Happy

it too!

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Mesclun planting

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