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23

Lettuce-in-a-pot

submitted by paul_neri to Gardening 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 01:47:41 ago (+23/-0)     (i.ibb.co)

https://i.ibb.co/vDgYkXm/lettuce-in-a-pot.jpg

For those of you who follow me, which, um, is no-one, you'll know I ditched the traditional veggie patch for growing stuff in pots and it's paying dividends.

The advantages of a pot or tub garden for me are:

.easier to keep tree roots at bay.
.snails/slugs need to climb which might make the plants less vulnerable? Doubt it.Snails etc are great climbers.
.more efficient watering.
.easier to change the garden about if need be i.e. just move a pot.

These lettuces are so fresh, pure and perfect.


22 comments block

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[ - ] UncleDoug 3 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 04:43:00 ago (+3/-0)

Good selection of weeds you are growing too.

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 0 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 19:01:17 ago (+0/-0)

It's a rough garden but some of those "weeds" is mint.

[ - ] UncleDoug 1 point 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 19:09:24 ago (+1/-0)

Two under the large pot are mentha spicata, the rest are weeds neri.

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 0 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 19:16:41 ago (+0/-0)

Spearmint, a species of mint (mentha) scientifically classified as Mentha spicata (/ˈmɛnθə spaɪˈkeɪtə/,[6][7]) also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint,[8][9] is native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east.[10] It is naturalized in many other temperate parts of the world, including northern and southern Africa, North America, and South America.[11][12] It is used as a flavouring in food and herbal teas.[Library Service]

[ - ] Fascinus 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 12:47:02 ago (+2/-0)

Nice lettuce.

Not sure what happened and last year we had an entire raised bed volunteer growing what appeared to be Black Seeded Simpson lettuce.

We eat a lot of lettuce and there are many of us. Even still, as much as we consumed, it didn't even make a dent.

Was interesting as an experiment and it turned out to be too much for us to eat.

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 0 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 18:59:13 ago (+0/-0)

Lettuce- Black Seeded' seeds
Lactuca sativa
Loose-leaf variety
Fast growing
Slow bolting
Looseleaf variety. A fast growing variety that has light green crinkled leaves. Great flavour; good for salads. Does better in harsh weather than other varieties; slow bolting and cold tolerant.[Library Service]

[ - ] bobdole9 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 08:11:35 ago (+2/-0)

Have you tried raised garden beds or jumped from "in ground" to containers?

You're in a warmer climate, but the cold weather people enjoy container gardening...easier to protect from lousy weather (pick up and bring inside to avoid frost / freeze).

Have any success with other veggies?

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 1 point 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 19:14:02 ago (+1/-0)

No (tried raised garden beds) because she-who-must-be-obeyed set the policy for the veggie patch for many years namely it was hers and not mine. She finally realised she'd made a horrible mess and handed it over to me 15 years later!

I've hit paydirt with my veggies after all these years of gardening and it's due to my "magic mulch" - a combination of decomposed grass (hay)(which I have in abundance) and leaf mould.I was just using leaf mould (broken down leaves etc from the compost) but it was a very dense medium that baked into mud brick in a pot in summer and the plant roots couldn't go anywhere. The penny dropped when I saw YouTube video about someone growing spuds and their growing medium was very loose and I needed to find something to do with all the grass I was cutting so I combined the grass (as hay) with the compost decomposed leaf material and...bingo! Some plants love it and go beserk particularly cucumber. Capsicums turn up their noses a bit as do tomatoes but they grow in it. As I heard a gardening expert say once - your plants tend to get enough nutrients from whatever soil you use but what they really need is an easy medium for their roots to grow in!

[ - ] Sector2 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 01:58:02 ago (+2/-0)

Pots have a lot of advantages. Nice lettuce. You're plucking them regularly?

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 03:25:01 ago (+2/-0)

"You're plucking them regularly?" - not as regularly as I'd like. I grow the veggies my wife wants me to and then she doesn't eat them ffs! Thanks to her telling me how thrilled she'd be if I could grow cucumbers...we had cucumbers coming out our ears and I had to eat most of them! Next year I'll definitely grow less. And ditto lettuces, beans.

[ - ] Sector2 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 03:37:28 ago (+2/-0)

Too much of any produce at one time is a problem unless you're preserving them in some way. Planting smaller amounts every two weeks or so can work.

[ - ] TheOriginal1Icemonkey 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 01:54:42 ago (+2/-0)

Similar to
Whiskey in a jar?

[ - ] SteppingRazor 1 point 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 11:02:13 ago (+1/-0)

We grow our lettuce in an aerogarden usually, but grow it outside when it’s not too hot.
Grow some arugula, it’s a nice addition to your lettuce.
A small cup of beer in the pot will also attract slugs and they drown in it. Check it daily.

[ - ] con77 1 point 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 08:17:51 ago (+1/-0)

Who eats lettuce?

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 0 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 19:22:16 ago (+0/-0)

gators!

[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 1 point 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 02:54:46 ago (+1/-0)

I know velvet strips can be used to keep scorpions and the like away from your bed posts. Maybe something like that can be taped to the bottom edges of your pots?

[ - ] Sector2 4 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 03:02:35 ago (+4/-0)

Copper strips for slugs and snails. Squirrels and raccoons need something bigger.

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 04:12:02 ago (+2/-0)

Possibly but if the grubs prove a problem I go out at night with a torch and nose pliers and...it's the killing fields. Problem is we have these critters called leopard slugs...giant spotted slugs...which are apparently good for the garden because they eat other slugs and so I leave them alone but if one of those gets near your plants I'd imagine it would be like a tractor eating all in its path!

[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 2 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 05:03:45 ago (+2/-0)

Looks like copper strips work for slugs and snails, according to Sector2.

[ - ] mannerbund 1 point 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 09:29:08 ago (+1/-0)

They work well, just somewhat annoying to apply to the pots if you don't like to wrinkle the foil up as you apply it.

[ - ] x0x7 0 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 09:26:57 ago (+0/-0)

Look anemic. Are they getting enough light?

[ - ] paul_neri [op] 0 points 2 weeksApr 29, 2024 19:21:44 ago (+0/-0)

They do look very light but it's a nice look imo - so light and clean. No slug/bird damage.

https://i.ibb.co/9YkqnyF/IMG-8115.jpg