Lettuce refusing to sprout

arla 5/15/2012, 12:53 am

Okay, I'm getting irked at my apparent inability to grow lettuce.

I've tried growing it in a celled pot (not sure what they call it) I've tried directly in the SFG, I carefully water every day and it just never seems to sprout? What else can I do, the mix should be good, every time I give up and start over I add more compost, carefully mix it all up and nothing... I've got a cage over the top of it so I know nothing is eating it (although I do seem to have mint growing up into the SFG, think my second one is going to have to be a table-top)

cheyannarach 5/15/2012, 1:24 am

Are you planting it too deep? Lettuce requires light to germinate.

arla 5/15/2012, 2:10 am

This last time I basically sprinkled it on the surface, think I put a really light covering over it, but nothing much. In the cells I planted it in I definitely did not put anything over it Sad

Just seem to be inept in growing this for some reason.

**walshevak** 5/15/2012, 8:53 am

The only other things I can think of is 1. bad seed and 2. temperature. Lettuce will not germinate in temps above 95* and barely germinate (12%) AT 86* according to page 253 of ANSFG. If I remember right, someone on the forum had to start his fall lettuce inside in the A/C last year.

Kay

kbb964 5/15/2012, 9:17 am

No idea, I have had failure twice with my Red Sails lettuce ! I have a third set of seeds in and waiting for sprouts. With my Simpson lettuce I had only 1 of the 4 seeds per spot come through but they are going great guns!
I think I might have planted mine too deep also.

Lindacol 5/15/2012, 1:25 pm

Arla, what kind of lettuce are you trying? Oak leaf lettuce is growing great here, unfortunately it is not a favorite as it is not crisp. I have some romaine, black seeded simpson, nevada, one other I can't remember and a mesculin mix going right now. Some I started inside and some in the garden but I have also had times when it just did not come up.

I have one square kinda underneath some corn that I am hoping will keep it from bolting soon. I am going to start more corn this week and think I will put some lettuce in with it as an experiment.

arla 5/16/2012, 12:04 am

Have some butterleaf (think it's that, supposed to be good in heat and slow to bolt) and some Red Romaine that I got free, no clue whether it's good, or bad in heat.

I'm trying the "paper towel" method right now (wet some paper towel, sprinkle with seeds, fold over and put it in a clear plastic bag) hoping that something will sprout and I can plant it out into the SFG (and hopefully not watch it die)

**walshevak** 5/16/2012, 10:44 am

Unfold the paper towel. Lettuce needs light to germinate.

Kay

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