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Container Gardening

Is it too late for lettuce & garlic?

15 years ago

I'm in East Bay Cali, and 2.5 weeks ago I planted a few kinds of lettuces, but I checked yesterday, and none germinated... Is it too late for lettuces? I'm wondering if the soil in my white containers is getting too hot for them (on the flip side, my peppers & cool tolerant okra are very happy)...

Also, since garlic is a cool weather plant, is it too late for me to plant some?

Our highs have been ~75, night time lows ~35-40...

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Comments (5)

kiee
15 years ago
Momma, Here is how I raised Black Seeded Simpson lettuce and onion sets this past winter. I am now eating them and they are great!

Gardening with love, Kiee

Here is a link that might be useful: Onions and Lettuce
momma_s
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, kiee. Your onion/salad combo looks so beautiful. I love the Earthbox/SIP ideas, and with the cost of water going up here, that's the way I'll go next year. I just can't do that this year though--funds are already tapped! I did convince hubby to build a small sized salad table if I sell some things on craigslist (I MUST grow more!), so I'm excited and can't wait until this weekend to get him workin'! ;-)
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Kim, the problem wouldn't be having 80's now, but in 3-4 weeks after sowing. Which of course often happens in late March/early April. Lettuce actually germinates faster/better at warm soil temps, maybe it's spinach that a previous poster was thinking of. Definitely sow that seed now, and maybe start earlier next year. As mentioned earlier, some varieties will tolerate a late planting better because they resist bolting with the high temps you'll have in April. I'll start lettuce indoors in Jan and transplant these by mid-Feb and then sow seed of heat tolerant lettuce outdoors about mid-Feb also.
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I will bet you can start lettuce every day from today to march and it will work in seattle. why do you think you can not grow lettuce in seattle. The great grow season for Seattle is just beginning. You are in the only area of USA where you can truely grow spinach starting about now or soon in the future. Winter is the Seattle grow season. Seattle is very different from all other parts of USA. You need to get connected to local growers to learn all about growing in Seattle. Here is a link that might be useful: try this for help
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On a cold track, lettuce and cabbage family plants are the winners of the race. At 50Â°, they will show up in less than 2 weeks. Most ornamentals (in fact, most seeds) have a recommendation of 65Â° to 70Â°+ optimum soil temperature. They show up in 2 or 3 weeks, sometimes much longer. At those warm temperatures, Louise Lettuce and Terry Turnipseed would bound out of the starting gate in 2 or 3 days! I have my earliest sprouts outdoors right now (freezing overnight a couple times a week, still). They are from Asian mustard seeds. Unfortunately, they aren't ones I planted in the garden. The sprouts are growing at the foot of a backyard tree where I laid the seed stalks to dry last year before collecting (most of) the seed. Oh well, more Asian mustard is now planted where they can be enjoyed by something other than my backyard laying hens. S'
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q5 - too late to plant lettuce?
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Comments (1)
The weather here is just beginning to turn - 2 more days of 90-degree highs and then a drop into the 70s/80s with lows in the high 50s or low 60s. I'll be planting lots of leaf lettuce Thursday morning if this forecast holds true and sow more next week. I sink a few supports (garden stakes or even sturdy sticks) at the corners and in the center of the lettuce beds and drape old sheets & blankets over them at night when it frosts. This has been surprisingly successful in past years and I'm often able to pick quite a bit of beautiful fresh lettuce for Christmas dinner. Snow won't kill it off but I've found that no amount of "covers" will save it with sustained temperatures under 20Â°F, although it can definitely survive a quick early-morning zap. Green Ice is my favorite to string along like this, but good old Black Seeded Simpson takes to it, as well. Salad Bowl is iffy. In mid-October I'll be sowing seed into containers that I can haul inside. (I love green leaf lettuce!) Um, to actually answer your question, in my opinion no, it isn't too late for you to plant leaf lettuce, but it may (or may not!) take some babying. As for when early fall commences (weather-wise), I "feel" that our upcoming cool-down is the real deal and does signal the beginning of Fall, but that's here. We've had leaves falling for nearly 3 weeks now, the corn is drying at warp speed, everything in the garden seems to be rushing to ripen, and the dew is becoming heavier each morning. This may not be the case in your region. Sorry to be so vague!
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gringojay
15 years ago
Hi momma s,
Your exact climate is vague in my mind. Generally lettuce is difficult to germinate in high temperatures; although once sprouted it can produce edible leaves.
My climate is tropical & I have struggled with seasonal lettuce production.
Having done trials of countless varieties I will suggest the only 1 that germinated in a hot season. It is a open head leaf variety you can cull from repeatedly.
Evergreen Seed sells this lettuce called: Ta-LuMay ("Mainland Girl")
kiee
15 years ago
Hi Momma s, if you plant the lettuce seeds, no more than 1/4" deep in a SWC, the ground, salad table. Then use a sprinkler watering can or a homemade one (any wide mouthed container such as a 1/2 gal milk jug with the spout cut off) then take an ice pick and stab holes into the bottom about 1/4" apart. This needs to be done every day until they sprout, then continue as needed. Use the feeding program from my thread above (onions & lettuce).

Gardening with love, Kiee
bibbo
15 years ago
Hey Momma,

I too am in the East Bay. I have had great success with lettuce in the Winter. This is my first time trying it in the summer. I have started it from seed inside, but I am concerned about it. If it does not take I will go buy some starters at the nursery (Evergreen in San Leandro is good).

I am going to plant it where there is sun but definately not the hottest place in the garden.

Also I have had some success planted them in a half wine barrel. Then I can move it to a better (although very heavy) - more like roll with help.

Good luck.

Lovin the rain.

jack

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