A quick question for gardening friends who live in "cooler" climates.
Regarding Ruffled or Plain Green Leaf lettuce (or similar varieties):
how cool/cold can the temperatures be for it to grow?
Obviously we don't grow it in Florida, however, our Autumn and Winter temperatures are often perfect for Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage and Romaine...
... as long as there are no severe frosts.
If winter is mild again this year, we are thinking of growing some lettuce in a small area, rather than planting the entire garden area in rye grass seed, and allowing the nitrogen to seep into the ground.
Thanks for your help,
Donna The Vegetable Lover
13 comments:
I'm a vegetable lover, but Rich is the vegetable gardener while I grow the flowers. I have grown strawberries and tomatoes in pots on our deck, but not this year. Good luck with an answer to your question. Here on the Oregon coast we can only grow veggies in the summertime.
In the UK we grow lettuce in the summer so I would have thought you would need temperatures in the high teens (about 17/18 C) for them to grow outside.
Pauline
x
Hi, Dear Donna....
Interesting idea for a cover crop. Sounds like a recipe for slugs! Do you have a problem with them??? Encourage more garter snakes. Slugs are their favorite food! :) What? You'd rather have the slugs??? lol.... I'd rather have the snakes, but my cats consider them playthings.
I am forever rescuing garter snakes from them and putting the hapless, but beneficial creatures in my garden. Yesterday, I found a kitty with a lizard, but I couldn't catch the little critter. Best I could do was to discourage my little huntress by tossing bits of bark chips at her.
Your question abt the lettuce is a good one, but I need a little clarification. When you say "how cool/cold can the temperatures be for it to grow?" Do mean GROw or SURVIVE? There is a difference, of course.
FWIW, I will tell you my experience with leaf lettuces volunteering in my garden. I usu begin seeing little seedlings from last year's lettuce seeds germinating when the daytime air temps reach into the 50s. The nights might still be freezing...and usually are. The little guys sprout but stay little until the days start hitting into the 60s when they explode with growth. We might have some stretches after sprouting where the air temps are only in the 40s in the day and the nights are frosty. This doesn't seem to hurt the seedlings, but they don't grow much. In other words, they survive at those temps, but don't grow.
In the autumn, any remaining mature bolted lettuce plants will not be bothered by a little bit of frost, but a hard freeze will knock them out. I can't be sure if what I observe is just a particular kind of leaf lettuce or not, because a lot of times I plant mixes or simply cultivate volunteers.
Good luck!!
<3 J
jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com
Lettuce is a cool weather crop and we try to plant it as early as we can after the danger of frost. If it gets too hot, it tends to bolt and get bitter.
I wish I could help but I get all my lettuce in bags at the grocery store ;) I do love fresh veggies, though, and grow tomatoes and peppers and zucchini and squash during the summers. Good luck!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)
Lisa
A Mermaid's Crafts
I cannot answer your question, but I want to wish you a great weekend. It is hot here in Montreal as well although, for the time being, the humidity is keeping at bay, much to my delight. It will be back, though.
I don't have a garden, Donna, so I cannot provide any advice! Hopefully others will chime in! All the best with your garden - I love veggies!
Hi Donna, We grow lettuce here in the UK. If you are worried the temps won't be high enough, you could always put a small closh (mini poly tunnel) over them.
Obviously we grow it for the summer, so not sure how our temps compare to yours in winter.
Why not grow a few and then if they do ok, you can plant more the next year. Sue
Oh, my, dear Donna, I'm not a gardener at all - hubby is the one who loves growing veggies!!!!! However if you google 'cultivate ruffled lettuce' you should be able to find at least somewhat of an indication of how to grow them in your area!!!!! Good luck!!!
Over here it's COLD!!!!!
Have a great day!!!
Hugz
I'm not a vegetable grower Donna. Sorry, can't offer any advice on lettuce.
Sorry Donna, although I love my vegetables not a grower. Just popped in to say happy weekend.
Hugs
Linda xxx
Sorry wish I could help!!!
Good luck with your lettuce! I am a tomatoe, pepper and cuke girl! Sorry!
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