Lettuce/salad leaves - advice please

[Hot_Potato]

8 days ago I sowed in a deep seed tray a mixure of 'mixed salad leaves' and Oriental salad leaves 'Nice 'n' spicy'......these quickly germinated and have 'romped away' and now stand at least 2 or more inches high (some less that have germinated slower) but all have long stems with just 2 leaves on top - looking just like cress......I cannot see a difference between the two types of seed sown - it all looks the same, very healthy & strong white stems but....is this right?

they're still on my window sill (which doesn't get any sun) but light & warmth and I thought this was how you grew 'salad leaves' indoors and eventually would be able to just cut as required.


I'm worried about them just getting taller & taller with just 2 leaves on them - should I be doing anything else or moving them somewhere else - outside for instance...I do have a small patio and could put them on the table out there.....would welcome advice please.


Surely these tiny things are not 'potted on' .......or am I just being impatient?

[Hot_Potato]

[tim]

I can't bring myself to thin to 4" or 10" as advised. And the thinnings might all be the same variety?

I'm afraid I just cut it like this.

[Hot_Potato]

Oh Tim.....that's exactly what I'm hoping they will eventually look like....so are you saying then that my 'spindly but healthy' looking shoots will/should eventually look like they do in your tray?

so I'm not doing anything wrong then? and.....how long has it taken from sowing to the condition your's are in now please?

Last question (for time being anyway  ::)) are your's indoors?

[Alimo]

Hot Potato,

They suddenly seem to thicken out.  I've been impatient with mine and before they've got to as thick as Tim's I've had a cut from them.  It is suprising how quickly they come back. 

Mine are in seed trays in the greenhouse - I've had several cuttings from early sowings, and have more trays on the go in succession.  I will plant out into the veggie patch a few of the babies and leave them to thicken right out before cutting.

Alison

[Hot_Potato]

thanks for that info Alimo....really need to know if mine will 'thicken up' staying here indoors on a windowsill tho please......I do have some access to a really tinygreenhouse but....it's not easy to get to....right across a communal garden, then I have to struggle to get thru a tall gate because of a difficult padlock...which then has to be struggled with on the way back....makes the thought of 'nipping outside' to cut some lettuce leaves a 'no no'.....don't mind putting a few odd things out there where I can leave them for several days (got my leek seeds out there)

Also, another resident here - has almost 'taken over' the greenhouse and got his peppers, courgettes, leeks & other things on all the available shelving space......he 'lives' closer to the greenhouse & uses a different access!....which for me would be an even longer trek!...

the greenhouse is really just being used mostly for storage of used pots, and some tools and belongs to the Housing Association. How I wish they'd put it into the garden area instead of out in the car park!....they won't move it!

[Alimo]

Ah - see your query now.  I'm not sure if lettuce need full sun, I think they'll be ok on a light windowsill.  Someone who knows better than me will be able to advise.   :)

Alison

[tim]

1. Must stress that most packets say thin to wide spacing. Marshalls don't.

2. Indoors till near cutting stage. Now outside. Sown 3 weeks ago.

3. Ours may look thick but typical one below - 3 to 4" tall.

4. No need for 'full sun'.

5. I normally sow rows in the open, but this year the soil is still only 45F &, with us, little is moving.

[Hot_Potato]

Thanks everyone for advice/opinions.....panicked today as the stalks looked sooo tall with these 2 cress like leaves on the top.....took them out to greenhouse & found a space on shelf - it's very sunny here now so thought they'd benefit by being out there. I must just remember to look at them daily as I think they'll need watering each day.

There's no windows in the greenhouse (it is tiny) only the door which is being kept shut all the time at the moment...I'd better not open it in case any damage is done to the other resident's numerous pots of things!!...(peppers, courgettes etc.)

Relieved to see that they don't need full sun - but if I keep them indoors they'll never have any at all......just one thing...on nice days, could they be put out on my patio then brought in again at night?

Sorry to ask so many questions about such a 'simple little thing'  :-\