Trying My Luck at Lettuce again.

Pretty exciting KK. My ex father in law has been encouraging me to look at hydroponics for greens over the winter, instead soil and grow lights. I'm following this with great interest. Thanks for all of the details and photos.

 

Thank you Sjoerd

Thank you Melody, I do hope you will give it a try

The only lettuce that germinated is no longer with us. I do not know what happened but its cotyledon looks like they dried up! The stem is still there and maybe it could spring back to live ... I hope

 

7 days had passed since I added in more seeds into the the net cups of the lettuce and there is still no sign of germination. Maybe I the way I am starting them is just not right ... hmmm. The romaine are doing ok.

I am putting on my thinking cap what to do next.

 

Perhaps it has to do with what kind of soil you are trying to germinate your seeds in. I would use seeding soil or soil that you would plant houseplants in. Bagged soil especially for germinating seeds in — if it is available where you live, I do not know.
But just try a different type of soil in the beginning, then you can transfer it to the other type of soil later when the small plantlet is large enough to transplant.

 

Thanks for the tip Sjoerd.
The Youtubers started their seeds either on rockwool, sponge, tissue paper with lightweight expanded clay aggregate, perlite or coconut fibres. The idea is to bypass the transplanting process.
I have coconut fibres which I use to make seed starter soil blocks so I am going to try them. Before I go into that this is what I have done for the 2 growing romaine.

I'll be using the used cooking oil bottle for these 2 romaine.

The level of the nutrients will be about 1 cm above the base of the net cups and the volume is 2 litres.


The bottle is covered with a repurpose black coloured interior and white coloured exterior plastic bag which was originally used for packaging for something I bought on line. The white exterior is good for reflecting heat away while the black interior keeps the light out so algae would not grow.


Finally the young romaine are in

Now for the restart of the the 3 net cups where the lettuce seeds were.

Coconut fibres as the new seed starting media.


The net cups are packed about 1/2 full.


The coconut fibres are soaked for about 30 minutes before sowing the seeds. One net cup is sown with romaine while the rest are with lettuce.


After the seeds are sown the container is filled with about 1cm of water. The container is covered to keep the interior moist.

Now let's keep our finger crossed and wait for the germination to start.

 

What a good posting, KK. It was really interesting to see how you are carrying this project out. I am looking forward to seeing the results.

 

Thanks Sjoerd, now only time will tell the outcome of this project.

 

One of the lettuce sprouted! Yay!!!

 

Yippeee!
This is great news.

 

Thanks Sjoerd.
Another sprouted today but there is still no sign from the romaine.

 

Mate, my fingers are crossed for you and your shy Romaine.

 

Thanks Sjoerd, the shy romaine finally sprouted. Now all 3 net cups have sprouted seeds.


I think they look very unhealthy, They are now placed in half strength nutrients liquid.


The first 2 romaine that is in their final growing vessel is growing very slow so I decided to check on the roots.


I lifted one of the net cup out and was disappointed to see no roots growing out. On closer inspection, very little roots can be seen inside the net cup. Already 30 days had passed and they still do not look like what they are suppose to be. According to the seed supplier it should mature within 55 to 60 days.

Let's see how the other 3 will grow.

 

I don’t know what to think about the plants in your experiment. They just do not seem to be progressing well. I have no experience with gardening this way. Do you think it is a nutritional problem?
Mate, I really want you to succeed here. I hope that your little plantlets will eventually begin working correctly.
This technique of ours is so interesting to me precisely because I do not understand it properly.
Please keep updating.

 

You are right Sjoerd, I have no real idea too!
Nutritional? ... maybe because the NPK is repacked.
Let's see how the 3 new ones will grow.

 

I don't know if it is of any help KK..but that is exactly what my lettuce looks like when it does not get enough lumins....enough direct grow light.

Even when I grew romaine in my upper garden with filtered sunlight...it did that. It has only been with direct long light that it grew to heads.

I would think/ HOPE that if those wee ones were given a lot more direct light - longer days - maybe they may show thier true spirit?

I wish you the best. So impressed with all of your efforts . - Mel