Scott, you were given a lot of good suggestions here. Go with them but if you search the vegetable catelogs this time of year you'll find that not all lettuces are created equal. Some here mentioned varieties that can perform a little better under adverse conditions. Tosser's mention of Green Ice is one clear example. I try to lean to the romaine types for a longer, into summer, harvest season but there are a few buttercrunch types like the newer "Baby Star" that are excellent well into the summer. I like to try 20+ varieties to cover all bases. Many of my customers are sold on the vast variety of red and purple leafed varieties that are available. I feel I can harvest newer red varieties longer although you'll pay a little extra for seeds.

I have done onion sets and the onions come out small. I want to grow a big onion. so I am thinking maybe a container. but the onions are really not that important. I really want to do a lot of lettuce in containers. I am thinking something like a little gem or a leaf lettuce and want to have an idea of what size container is ok to use. Obviously 5 gallons is much larger than needed and a 4 inch pot is too small. I am guessing about a quart might do it. but maybe a gallon is needed. I think what I have to do is to take some used pots and see how it comes out. I dont have little gem seeds but do have other kinds of lettuce. I think I will have to try some leaf lettuce in different sized containers and see what works for me. I am not so sure the onions are worth the effort in pots except with some bunching onions.

Hi Dawg, I totally understand where you are coming from. I'd be interested to know if you could grow successfully with high % composts in containers as some have suggested. If the growing medium is compacting and decomposing now, then the roots can suffer in heat and lack of aeration as the temperture climbs and the mix decomposes even more as the season progresses. I wasn't able to grow/harvest mesclun in straight potting mix (too wet but my growing condition may be shadier than yours) until I added lots of perlite almost 50/50. I definitely suggest you not skimp on buying perlite, or you risk not get to harvest anything with all the investment you've made and as the temperature gets even hotter. If anything, you don't even need to buy potting mix or composts to grow lettuce (or any vegetable). You just need perlite (or coir, an organic ingredient with good aeration characteristics but can still decomposes eventually if you want to shop around for prices against perlite) and some chemical fertilizers or hydroponic nutrients. You can make your own composts. Besides, unlike other soil conditioner, perlite is easy, light, and dependable to work with and can be sterilized and reused for many years. Return any unused potting mix or composts and grow mostly in perlite (with the mix you have now) to save yourself money in the long run. Q2: Drainage If you have a light growing medium with mostly perlite or inoragnic growing medium with lots of air pockets, you don't need many drainage holes. In fact with a light growing medium and very little care, one can grow plants in a completely enclosed container like a self-watering container in some type of evaporation/wicking systems. You also save money on water and fertlizers and gardening with less environmental pollution. For your 15/17" by 20/21" by 8 inches deep containers and growing conventionally or in the mix you have now without added perlite, I would say at least 10-14 holes or one at every 1.5". Q3: Shade for lettuce Consider if you need materials and the setup to be waterproof and wind proof based on the environment you are positioning the container. Is the codition in an open space (a yard) or a sheltered and enclosed space like a balcony- and how high up, etc.? I know when I am forced to work on a shoe-string budget, I can come up with some very ingenous creations just with what I already have around. Here are some ideas: old umbrellas (or lawn chairs), widow screens lay flat on low support or in an A-frame, an inverted clear storage vin resting on stones/wood for mini-greenhouse shade and air, or growing/moving other taller plants around them. Q4: AM or PM Shade It depends on what kind of the lettuce. Those that are grown in partial shade and sun just need some AM sun so providing shade from PM exposure is better and more important because mid day and pm sun rays (and water stress due to higher temperature) are more intense.

Hello everyone- Looking for almost any kind of loose leaf lettuce- Deer"s Tongue, Lolla Rossa, Oak Leaf, Black -Seeded Simpson- amaze me. I am looking for larger quantities, and don't particularly care if it is exotic or not. I am under-seeding some of my potted veggies this year- the first batch is doing so well, I want to repeat several times over the season. With your patience, I will look through your list and see what I might have from it- or what I might be able to tempt you with. As I say on my page, I do have chaff in some of my trades, but I try to be generous when I can to make up for it. Looking forward to hearing from you, and hope we can trade! lemonbird