Usually I plant about 5 or 6 seeds in 1 loose leaf lettuce pod and let it grow.
Why not get a package of loose leaf lettuce seeds (about 100 or more for under 3 buck plus shipping. If you need help shopping I would be glad to help with choices.
Last Edit: Jun 16, 2018 19:32:32 GMT -5 by Deleted
I always thin my lettuce pods to one plant. I've never been unhappy with the yields. I have read that the competition from having multiple plants in close proximity will lower the health of the individual plants to the point where you actually get less lettuce, but I don't know if that is true or not. I've never let all the sprouts grow to compare.
Post by cheddachasa on Jun 17, 2018 20:21:36 GMT -5
One plant always dies first and then those roots begin to rot and harm the other plants in that pod. I think I will let this one plant grow to maturity before harvesting. I usually pick off the outer leaves.
I always thin my lettuce pods to one plant. I've never been unhappy with the yields. I have read that the competition from having multiple plants in close proximity will lower the health of the individual plants to the point where you actually get less lettuce, but I don't know if that is true or not. I've never let all the sprouts grow to compare.
Here is a typical project where I plant and let grow 5 seeds in a pod.I get several FULL harvests.
FWIW I only ever plant 2 seeds per pod (especially if it’s Choi because Choi is so stiff) because I worry about air circulation. To each his own. The good news is lettuce is pretty foolproof.
I've found my single plants have no problem taking up all the available space, and I can eat off of them for months if I can keep them from bolting (I keep my apartment pretty warm and forget to add ice cubes).
Here's one of my current machines (4 pods in an Ultra deck). They've been in for about a month now.
When I gave them more space they just got bigger. I used to do 6 to a side in my Farm:
Someday, when a couple machines open up, I'll have to do a comparison grow with the AG directions in one machine and thinned plants in the other. I really have no idea which way is going to end up being better.
Post by cheddachasa on Jun 22, 2018 16:35:24 GMT -5
My Deer Tongue pod had a Black Seeded Simpson in it which overwhelmed the Deer Tongue which is what made me decide to thin the pods this time. I’m just using a regular salad green pods though. Hoping a romaine plant pops up to go along with the loose leaf.
Pretty foolproof, indeed. I usually put in 5-6 lettuce seeds per pod, and enjoy my overflowing garden. So it would appear that whatever you do will work!
I tried not thinning in my last batch and I think I will stick with one plant per pod. From the pictures, others have posted and my personal experience, I think I let mine get a bit more mature. At that point, space gets tight, even with one plant per pod.
I must confess that I got sloppy about counting the lettuce seeds that I would put in each pod... I was erring on the side of too many. This definitely hurt the long-term viability of my lettuce and I had to trash a number of ugly gardens before my TGiving company arrived.
So now I limit myself to 4-5 seeds per pod and will consider using even fewer in the future.
