Cant get lettuce to grow!

lily-ella

Hi all I have tried so many times to get my own lettuce to grow, Ive planted cut and come again lettuce and rocket etc in various pots and trays and they all sprout and just become really thin and leggy, they become so tall and spindly that they just fall over. They look like cress. What am I doing wrong?!

Thanks!

a11waysindebt

Where are you growing them.

Victor_Meldrew

My guess is you're growing them in a place which doesn't get enough light. If its too dark they grow quickly towards the light and become long and spindly and fall over. Same applies to most seeds.

angelavdavis

Sounds like the other posters have worked out the problem - you need to start lettuce and most seedlings off in a very light place where they aren't going to strain toward the light.

If you are struggling to find somewhere suitable, I have seen Geoff Hamilton fashion a lightbox from a mid-sized cardboard box, remove one side, top and slope the sides, either paint inside with white paint or line with foil to reflect any possible light. Place on the window sill facing outwards and then put your seed trays in here to germinate. I tried to find a link to one of these, but sadly, can't find one!

Debt_Free_Chick

I don't bother starting them off inside at all. Just plant them directly outside, when the conditions allow.

stilernin

You haven't mentioned how many seeds you sow. Whilst you need to sow quite a few for 'cut and come again' they will shoot up too quickly and be spindly if they are crowded.

I'd leave 1.5cm between each seed.

Jack's_mummy

I grow lettuce outside under a make shift cloche - a clear plastic grape container. I have 3 just about ready to start harvesting as cut and come again, but I can never get enough light to them to grow on a windowsill. They have to take their chances in the wet and windy garden

lily-ella

Thanks for the replies, I think they cant be getting enough light then, as I put them on my windowsill, they could also be too crowed as I just threw a load of seed in every time!