About ten days ago, I filled about 50 nursery tray cells with lettuce seeds. To date, not a single seed has germinated, though lots of other seeds in different trays have. I'm presuming the growing medium (old potting mix and cheap potting soil sifted and mixed) is worthless. Sort of like sowing wheat seeds on a sidewalk!
This week, I got some different potting mix and it has worked a treat for peas, broccoli and chard (still waiting on the spinach to sprout, but it has only been three days!) and decided to try it. Filled about 50 cells (1" sq.) with it, tamped it down, added the seeds then filled the cells back up with the mix. The lettuce is Gentilina, a free gift from Baker Creek.
I'm just trying to see how plants grow and whether I need larger size trays.
Mike
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DoubleDogFarm
- Super Green Thumb
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I think Eric brings up a good question on depth. I too usually just lightly dust over top of the sees, so maybe 1/4" cover? And keeping them moist.
4-6 days usually all the seedlings are up, but still, I prefer to sow lettuce directly outside in the garden, and re-seed every couple of weeks for continuous harvest...
Regards,
D
4-6 days usually all the seedlings are up, but still, I prefer to sow lettuce directly outside in the garden, and re-seed every couple of weeks for continuous harvest...
Regards,
D
I've been told, "Lettuce likes to get a little sunburned" by my local master gardener. Since hearing that, I've had better germination rates, even on older seed. I don't cover lettuce or carrots at all, now, I just press them into the soil with a flat hand. A decent, general rule of thumb, is to plant the seed 1-4 times the width of that seed. So, lettuce being a very small seed, doesn't really need much covering at all, just good contact with the soil.
Bigger seeds - beans, melons, etc, can be planted fairly deeply. Even radishes have fairly substantial seeds (in comparison to lettuce and carrots). Those tiny seeds just don't hold as much nutrition and the seedling they produce can't push their way up through as much of a covering.
Bigger seeds - beans, melons, etc, can be planted fairly deeply. Even radishes have fairly substantial seeds (in comparison to lettuce and carrots). Those tiny seeds just don't hold as much nutrition and the seedling they produce can't push their way up through as much of a covering.
Really the contents of the soil shouldn't matter for germination. You can sprout seeds on a wet paper towel. The problem is almost surely the planting depth from what I've read on this post.
I never bury my lettuce seeds. When I direct sow I simply spread the seeds over the growing area and lightly run a hay rake over the area and then sprinkle with the hose. When starting indoors, like it the flats in DDF's picture, I sprinkle the seeds out and then just kind or brush my hands over the top of the soil VERY LIGHTLY. And then again, gently water.
I have always had a very easy time with lettuce and maybe this is why. The seeds will germinate and grow just fine even just laying on top of the soil. If the soil is poor quality, consider adding something to it after the seeds have been up for a while. Until they really get going, they don't need much other than water.
One other note, starting indoors I have had lettuce seeds take up to 2 weeks to germinate! Outdoors the are usually up in as quick as 2 or 3 days.
I never bury my lettuce seeds. When I direct sow I simply spread the seeds over the growing area and lightly run a hay rake over the area and then sprinkle with the hose. When starting indoors, like it the flats in DDF's picture, I sprinkle the seeds out and then just kind or brush my hands over the top of the soil VERY LIGHTLY. And then again, gently water.
I have always had a very easy time with lettuce and maybe this is why. The seeds will germinate and grow just fine even just laying on top of the soil. If the soil is poor quality, consider adding something to it after the seeds have been up for a while. Until they really get going, they don't need much other than water.
One other note, starting indoors I have had lettuce seeds take up to 2 weeks to germinate! Outdoors the are usually up in as quick as 2 or 3 days.