Lettuce seedlings not growing!

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Salsa, Jun 11, 2009.

  1. Salsa

    Salsa Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi, I'm a complete gardening novice so I'm sorry if I'm being incredibly stupid here! I started growing some lettuce plants (I think they're baby gems) from seed in pots, but they were growing too close together. Once they got to about 2 inches high, I planted them in the ground with plenty of space round each one. The only problem now is, they've stopped growing completely! They look healthy apart from that (no wilting, disease or pests) and they're watered regularly, so I don't really know what's happened!

    Has anyone experience this before, or have an idea as to why this could have happened?

    Thank you!

    - Sal.
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Hi Sal. Did you harden them off? That means gradually getting them used to being outside, you do this by leaving them outdoors during the day then bringing them back in overnight for a week or two depending on the weather. If you don't do this it shocks the plants and they sit around and sulk for days maybe weeks before getting going. If this is the case, you will just have to wait, a bit of warm weather might spark them off into grwoth.
     
  3. Salsa

    Salsa Apprentice Gardener

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    No, they were grown outside from the beginning.
     
  4. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    So maybe its the soil you have put them in or the position. Lettuces don't like too much direct sunlight (we've not had much of that recently so its unlikely to be that). Perhaps your soil is a bit poor, whats it like - is it clay or sand or what? And did you put any fertilizer down as well?
     
  5. Salsa

    Salsa Apprentice Gardener

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    Ahh yes, maybe it is the soil. It's mostly clay and it can get quite dry, though I try to keep it moist. No, I haven't put any fertiliser down either. It could be the sun aswell, actually, as my back garden is in direct sunlight almost all the time and it's been very hot these last couple of weeks. Is it better to put them in a shady area then?
     
  6. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    I would say its more likely the clay soil than direct sunlight.

    It depends what you have done with your soil. Clay does need plenty of organic material (compost/manure) adding to improve it i.e. help it to retain water better and to build up a store of nutrients for the plants to feed on. Clay can also be poor at draining water away, so the lettuce roots may be waterlogged.
     
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