Your comments and tips

04 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)

Lettuce and other fine seed like carrot needs consistent moisture to germinate as the seeds are fine. A notorious thief of lettuce and carrot seeds are ants! Sprinkle pepper along the row when sowing the seed, this is an excellent deterrent. Trust this helps.

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04 Jan 17, john shanahan (Australia - temperate climate)

Why is it that so many of vegetable plants go to seed before 'hearting'. Mainly lettuce?

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06 Jan 17, (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi John, not sure if your question is about your garden, or just seeding in general. I had total failure with my lettuce this year. I planted in November, and the Sydney summer was just too hot. In some areas classed as temperate climate you can plant all year, but this guide can't fit everyone. Where I live is generally 6 degrees hotter than Sydney CBD throughout summer, so trying lettuce at that time of year was stupid. Lesson learned. Regarding bolt in general, I think it's really just that plants will do anything to survive. I'm no botanist, so this is all my opinion only. If the conditions are perfect, the plant has the energy and nourishment to produce a harvest. As conditions move further away from ideal, the plants behaviour becomes less about producing a large crop (showing off), and more about survival. When conditions are untenable, the plant will abandon the crop, and put all available energy into producing seeds to try again next year. That's bolt as I understand it, I'm more than happy to be corrected.

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09 Jan 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)

Lettuces like cooler weather. Varieties like Iceberg, Imperial 847, Imperial Triumph will bolt to seed readily.Great Lakes, Penn Lake, Yatesdaale will tolerate warmer conditions but are a coarser leafed lettuce.

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10 Oct 16, jalannie (Australia - temperate climate)

how popular is this vegetable? an what seasons does it grow in?

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08 Jul 16, Katie (Australia - temperate climate)

I left my cos lettuce to seed last season in our raised garden bed. The new plants are now growing beautifully, but they are all quite bitter. Even the baby plants. They are getting plenty of water, being winter time! Any ideas as to why this may be and what I can do about it?

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20 Aug 16, Luke (Australia - temperate climate)

Usually if it's too hot lettuce can get bitter but I think it may have more to do with the soil quality, and/or Ph. I would look into the Ph and then the soil nutrient content.

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29 Jul 16, Simon (Australia - temperate climate)

hi Katie, I had the same problem with red cos lettuce ... not sure wat can be done, its a shame no one replied with a solution!

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05 May 16, janine (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Establishing a new veggie garden in full sun in frosty rural Northern Tablelands NSW. Thinking a wire fence to keep out rabbits, roos etc. Any suggestions for a deciduous climber to grow on the fence running north-south to protect my veggie garden from the western sun in summer but warm it up in winter. Winter nights can get down to -15°C. Thank you.

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30 Apr 16, Paul (Australia - arid climate)

If you grow the loose leaf types you will have better success against frost. I have frost proofed my 2 permanent beds of six different lettuce by growing them in wicking beds and aquaponics as the whole bed keeps itself protected by being a thermal mass during the night absorbing heat from direct sun in the day. Otherwise throw some heavy duty clear plastic over them last thing before the sun goes down and keep your mulch nice and thick. That will help maintain a warmer temperature during the night.

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