Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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I've finally gotten around to starting my lettuce grow. It produced 46.87 lbs of sweet tender organic lettuce last winter. I'll post progress pictures as things happen. I started the 18- Muir lettuce and 1 merlot and one hyper red rumple on Oct 11th. Pictures are of the grow box,lighting set-up, germination chamber, and current lettuce growth.
Last edited by biscuitridge; November 1, 2020 at 11:38 PM. |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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More pictures
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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Automatic watering system includes soil moisture sensor, pump,pressure tank,timer, drip system,thermostat for heating mat.
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Near Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 1,940
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Very interesting! Thanks for sharing - look forward to updates!
Are you using a soil-less mix? |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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99% soil-less, I find it helpful to add a little soil from a very healthy soil I have in the blueberry patch,it's pretty much decomposed wood chips,which is fungal dominate.i believe it has beneficial nematodes in it, which help with the fungus nats.
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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One week update, things are growing nicely!
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Indialantic, Florida
Posts: 2,000
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Looks great - What is the main mix you are using? It looks like a coca coir mat.
Do you use pelleted seeds? Keep posting pics as the plants progress. |
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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The main mix is approximately 1/3 perlite, 1/3 peatmoss, 1/3
Coco coir,its a little heavier on the coir.with a mulch of coarse sawmill shavings from a local sawmill. I do not use pelleted seed, I've had very poor success with germination after a couple years in storage, so never again for me! I'm going to brew up a little AACT in my little table top brewer soon,maybe tomorrow, it brews 1-1/2 gallons at a time. |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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It's time to pick a fresh salad!
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Indialantic, Florida
Posts: 2,000
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That was quick! Yum
BTW - I never had luck with the pelleted and the Salvano from Johnny's had an even shorter germination window. They would germinate the first few months and then not great or not at all. At the end of the 2020 spring, I put all my lettuce seeds in the freezer and now germination is really good. |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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Yes, I keep all my seeds in a freezer that does not have automatic defrost cycle.
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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Here's an update, as of today we've harvested 57.4 oz. of lettuce, we weigh the lettuce before washing so that we aren't counting the extra weight of the water from rinsing it.
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Indialantic, Florida
Posts: 2,000
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Very nice. Are your cut-come again or are you starting over after each pick?
What types of lettuce are you growing? Do you direct plant a single seed or start in rockwool / something else? I started my first lettuce about the same time as you but outside in 7 Earthbox Juniors and 5 troughs (EB knockoffs) . I sowed the first 2 days apart and then 3 until they were all sowed. I've picked: Johnny's Mix (twice), Buttercrunch, Red Sails, and Red Salad (restarted this). Left the others for cut-come again. I sowed really thick; but don't think I'm anywhere near 3.5 lbs worth. Red Sails has done well for cut and come again last year; and Johnny's mix is doing well with C/C. On the Romaine (Parris Island) I transplanted single plants in with broccoli and into another EB Jr and they have taken off. The original box with the Paris Island seems to have benefitted from thinning the herd but probably still too thick to have much bulk. |
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: washington
Posts: 498
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Barb- I do the cut and come again.
I'm growing mostly Muir, which is our absolute favorite inside and outside, it is extremely slow bolting. I start in six packs with a soiless mix,the only reason I do that is because seeds don't germinate well in highly fertilized soil, there is one plant of Merlin,and one of hyper red rumple waved,just for color in our salads, they typically aren't as productive as muir. You mentioned that you sowed really thick,is there some particular reason for that,I find that is usually the reason why people don't have very good success, I plant 4 or 5 seeds then thin to 1 when they are about 3/4" tall,and I space them at 12" apart because they get about 16 inches across. Here's a picture of some at 2/3rds grown,these are too close together, I was trying squeeze in more than I should, it never pays! |
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 5,931
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wow, I'm impressed! that lettuce looks fantastic
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