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Vegetable Gardening

When do I plant my second crop of lettuce?

16 years ago

Hi All! I pulled all of my lettuce plants today. We really enjoyed it this year, and I hated to see it go! Now, I am thinking of planting a second crop, but am not sure when to do it. I know it's going to get warm again, so that would not be good. I was thinking of taking two long planters and moving them into the shade, or on the east side of the house, and trying to grow it that way. Should I wait until September or October? These planters could be moved if we need to do that.

Thanks for any help!

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Comments (9)

ruthieg__tx
16 years ago
What have you got to lose by trying...the cost of a pack of seed only..Go for it..
Mary Bendel
Original Author
16 years ago
Ha! I am laughing! Yes, you are right! Only the cost of a pack of seeds! Thanks!
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npthaskell
16 years ago
where are you? I am in Newport OR.
bill-inpnw
16 years ago
I don't know how true it is, but I've heard that if it is too warm, the lettuce seeds wont germinate. I planted some when we had our lil heat wave and sure enough nothing came up. Planted some more in this cool rain and I've got lettuce coming up. Go figure....

Bill
Violet_Z6
16 years ago
Now, I am thinking of planting a second crop, but am not sure when to do it.

Check with your state's Extension Service. Each county should have it's own Cooperative Extension Office which provides free publications and information for the asking. They will have valuable vegetable/gardening tables available specifically for your area determined by universities and horticultural research scientists who have collected data from growing those crops in your state. Your tax dollars are already paying for this service so you may as well get some use out of it.

Vegetable Planting and Planning Calendar for Missouri (download the pdf) complete with spring and fall planting dates (underneath the spring planting dates for appropriate crops), how much to plant per person, etc. They can also tell you the average last frost date for your area and ideal planting times for specific crops and varieties in your area.

See how detailed this example is:

{{gwi:4005}}
Mary Bendel
Original Author
16 years ago
I am in Yamhill. That's a great suggestion...checking with the county extension service. I will do that! Thank you!
skagit_goat_man_
16 years ago
We plant a dozen lettuce every week. We eat tons of it and we have the garden space. I start them in styrofoam cell trays and transplant them out at 3-4 weeks. Tom
npthaskell
16 years ago
> I am in Yamhill.

So I suppose that you are warmer than I am...but that will reverse in a few of months.

I plant lettuce year around, usually started indoors for about 1-3 weeks in #1 or #2 pots under strong artificial light before transfer to outdoors. I don't really have heat problems, but during winter it is the constant rain and wind that gets my lettuce, not the cold. Basically I follow Skagit-goat-man's approach, but on a smaller scale.

Here is a link to a thread started from a guy in Molalla this past March

Here is a link that might be useful: Pacific NW spring plantings
npthaskell
16 years ago
I also posted to another thread, just to "bump it", so that it would catch your attention...

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread -

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