Growing lettuce and cabbage

top_drawer_2

hello,

I am a complete newbie to gardening but am trying to save a little of food for my guinea pigs so I have planted some cabbage and lettuce which I got in some sets from Homebase. In just over a week they have sprouted (grass-like) and then today I was trying to get at the window and managed to knock them off so I replanted them into separate components boxes (I've this will encourage them to grow stronger) I plucked each of them from the mess of soil and put 3-4 in each module and then added soil, squashing it down a little each time. They are now back on the bookshelf near the window. They look a bit like a dogs dinner though :( Am I doing the right thing? Will it come right in the end? Do I treat the cabbage the same?

Thanks

Jen

Lotus-eater

If I was you, I'd go and read up a little on how to grow both of them.

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/lettuce_1.asp

Both are crops that need cooler weather and will not do that well inside.

top_drawer_2

Oh dear ... I followed the instructions which came with the set........ it clearly says March.

What can I do?

Lotus-eater

Are you planning growing them inside or out?

midnightraven3

you only start them off indoors
after frosts have passed, you plant them outside

have you any idea how much space (and time) a cabbage takes???
lettuce will fair well in troughs or boxes outside, but a cabbage takes up loads of room, and takes a whole lot longer to grow
do they like spinach? its a very easy & quick growing veg, and will grow very happily in a bucket,

top_drawer_2

Lotus eater - I'm starting them off indoors but am unsure what to do next, I am plannig on putting them in some sort of pots outside but am not sure of the process

I had no idea cabbages were difficult, theyre mainly for my guinea pigs who are costing me a futune a week.I may have to try Spinach, they seem to like the Rocket and Kale so might have to stick with them. I guess I will have to put the cabbage seedlings on freecycle or summat ..........

littlestars

have you thought about parsley, my guinea pigs loved parsley!

Morty_007

I don't think you can feed guinea pigs spinach....we never usedto. too strong orsomething. how about some cut and come again lettuce rather than lettuces that will head up? you can then just cutwhatyou need and keep it going for ages. I think it can be kept inside too...happy to be corrected iof need be. You could always try it inside, buck the trend. i';ve hada lot of success with things that shouldn't work.

irishwexford

you could just grow some salad leaves in a pot outside. I would not grow cabbages just to feed your little pet as they get attacked by birds, butterflies and other things. We have ours under mesh on allotment. Cut and come again salad leaves are so easy to grow and should keep him going throughout the summer.

cooking-mama

our guinea pig loves,spinach,lettuce,broccoli,carrot,lettuce,baby sweetcorn,kale,cabbage,cauliflower leaves,celery-especialy the leafy bits, and parsley-(you have to be careful not to give too much high water content green veg,such as spinach and lettuce etc,as it can cause diarrhoea),but they enjoy it as a treat.our little piggy gets a bowl of fresh mixed veg every evening and he realy enjoys it.

top_drawer_2

irishwexford wrote: »

you could just grow some salad leaves in a pot outside. I would not grow cabbages just to feed your little pet as they get attacked by birds, butterflies and other things. We have ours under mesh on allotment. Cut and come again salad leaves are so easy to grow and should keep him going throughout the summer.

I agree the cabbage sounds like a lot of hassle for what I want ... where would I go about getting cut and come again lettuce leaves? Any ideas on what I should do with the lettuce seedlings I already have - can I just plant them in a big bucket and then I can use them as I need them?

My two like most of those things too but its just getting so damm expensive (around £6 a week). Where do you buy the seeds for rocket, Kale, parsley and spinach? I havent seen these on the website selling seeds and Im worried they could fail if I dont pay the going rate.

Jen