Your comments and tips

28 Mar 14, janice (Australia - temperate climate)

Maybe try sowing some more seeds now, it was fairly hot earlier in the month. It likes 10-16C.

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25 Jan 14, Fran (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I've planted a number of lettuce types and all have grown well, and we've had a few meals from them, until we hit a heat wave recently, 7 days of over 35 degree heat. Now, I've just found out that lettuce goes bitter or bolts in the heat, which is what all varieties have done. Is there anything I can do to save it, or should I just feed it to the chooks and try again?

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23 Mar 15, Juanita (Australia - tropical climate)

I would save as many seeds out of your bolting lettuce then feed the rest to your chooks as once lettuce has bolted you can't save it, also when you next plant try using 7.5cm thick aged bagasse/ sugar cane mulch keeps your ground temperature cold enough to stop bolting, never use yard clipping and mulch out of your own compost unless you have a thermometer to ensure it has reached over 65 degrees this kills any nasties and stops the risk of disease in plants. Hope this helps

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19 Jun 14, Glen (Australia - tropical climate)

Create a lettuce bed and create a partial shade using shade cloth, I prefer the beige on a roll back 1m above the bed and keep bed moist at all times during hot weather.......

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06 Dec 13, Allen Lee (Australia - temperate climate)

Kellie 15Nov. Your squiggly lines in your lettuce leaves may be leaf miner the moth lays egg on the leaf and they hatch burrow into it and feed eternally. They also attack spinach and citrus may also attack otherplants at times to remedy this try using eco oil at rates on direction. This will leave a film of oil (non toxic) on the leaf the moth will be unable to lay eggs (slip off).

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26 Nov 13, Sue Crosse (Australia - temperate climate)

Why does my lettuce taste bitter the leaves are soft and they look so good//

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27 Nov 13, Elizabeth (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Lettuce starts to taste bitter as the weather warms up. it is the first sign of lettuces bolting (going to seed). Keeping them cool/part shade and watered can stop them going to seed.

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15 Nov 13, Kellie (Australia - temperate climate)

My lettuces have silvery/clear squiggly lines on the leaves, almost as though there is something travelling inside the leaves eating all the chlorophyll! Anyone know anything about this?

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24 Oct 13, Tiff (Australia - arid climate)

Can anyone tell me the best way to grow lettuce in a dry area (Western NSW). I am considering buying greenhouse planter boxes to keep the moisture in and to put these where they will also get some shade. I haven't grown lettuce before so any advice would be great!

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27 Oct 13, Ferran (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I live on Central Coast and grow lettuce through late autumn to late winter. I raise them in seed trays or scatter them in the garden as soon as the last really hot day has gone by and temperatures are no more than 35 degrees c or below. When I put them straight in the garden I scatter seeds over small area and cover with seed raising mix. I keep them moist with a gentle watering can. When 5cm tall I trans-plant them in to another bed. You could also use this method in flat seed raising trays and a spray bottle. By using sugar cane mulch in the ground surrounding the plants (not touching their stems!) I keep them moist. I also water every to every second day as the weather cools down. My suggestions would be scatter lightly oven baked ground eggshells or hair clippings around the plants to deter snails. if they become a problem. Grow with sweet peas and rocket for great salads. The peas will add nitrogen that the leafy greens will enjoy. Choose a loose head variety so you can pick it as it grows and get multiple harvests the size you want. also better suited to Australia. If you want to try planting lettuce now some tips to stop it bolting are to give it PLENTY of shade, keep harvesting it regularly, (about every second day once it gets going) keep moist (planter boxes might work but could be expensive) and pinch off buds that start to form. In my experience even a resistant variety in a nice shady place with lots of water will go to seed/taste bitter early if planted later than August. But I have seen it done. lettuce is a great to grow easy and rewarding but I would suggest waiting until after Summer. I plant lettuces April on, when you plan depends on your climate conditions. Try companion planting basil and tomatoes together while you wait or growing zucchini plants. If you have a meter square garden bed try planting 16 corn plants, 3 pumpkin or zucchini and once corn is 15 cm high planting a bean seed at the base of each corn plant. Beans are also good for nitrogen that both the corn and beans will need. All of the above I recommend planting now if you are getting the feeling it is already summer. I am not sure if what i have written is relevant to more inland areas of NSW but hope it may be helpful. Good luck with your gardening!

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