Week 3 The Lettuce Has A New Home!

The lettuce continued to grow and after checking some growing hints from several sources I decided to transplant to an EarthBox. This will be 7-10days ahead of the recommended schedule.

First a little information about an EarthBox. The Earth Box is a gardening system that attempts to be as self-contained as possible. Manufactured in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the EarthBox holds a patent as an improved plant management system. Plants automatically receive fertilizer and water as needed, allowing them to grow at their best possible rate. The Earth Box is a container garden in the form of a window box. It is rectangular and 29 inches long, 13 1/2 inches wide and 11 inches high. Seeds or transplants are planted in potting mix in the assembled container and covered with a plastic cover to keep out weeds and pests and keep in moisture. Placed in a sunny window or outside, the system delivers everything the developing plants need.

In an Earth Box, the water is delivered through a tube at the back of the container. The water flows to a reservoir in the bottom of the container. Moisture is wicked up from the reservoir into the soil as it is needed. This wicking action automatically keeps the soil moist, with excess water draining back into the reservoir. Coupled with the plastic cover on top of the soil, the system conserves water, using much less than conventional container gardens.

Another difference from other container gardens is the way the Earth Box delivers fertilizer to the plants. The fertilizer rests in a trough in the top layer of the soil rather than mixing into the soil. Fertilizer gradually releases into the soil, keeping the system fertilized for an entire season with one application of fertilizer.

Here is a link to learn more about Earthbox.

Since I used this Earthbox (above) last growing season all I needed to do was scoop out the area containing the fertilizer, then add new fertilizer, and then cover with new potting soil. This way one can reuse the bulk of the potting soil for 4-5 years according Earthbox recommendations. In the picture is the EarthBox already to go without its cover.

Here is the box with its cover installed. And everything cleaned up. Now ready to add the lettuce plants. Made openings in the plastic cover and inserted the plants. Here is the Earthbox all planted.

Here are a couple of pictures of a lettuce plant removed from the AeroGarden and prepared to be planted in the Earthbox.

Quite busy this week and didn't get the spinach planted this week like I wanted. Well planting the spinach this comming week and a lettuce update is on tap for next time.

 

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Week 2 - The Lettuce is Growing!

Here we are at week two. During this post I am going provide some information about the lettuce that I am growing this season and on how the lettuce plants are progressing.

A couple of years ago a seed company that I ordered seeds from asked if I was interested testing some seeds. The company would send me the seed at no cost and I was to plant the seed and complete surveys about the seed several times during the growing season. For my efforts they offered a fairly decent credit on my next order. So I thought that was a good deal and it was but I have to admit it also was a lot of work completing the surveys. The surveys were done online and also included pictures of the plants progress. Since I begin testing seeds I have tested seeds that I would consider a failure and several varieties that I consider a success most notably a grape tomato variety and a cucumber variety. I will be planting these later in the season.

In 2011 I received a variety of lettuce called Salanova. This is a type of lettuce that can be grown as head lettuce or as leaf lettuce all depends on how you harvested it. My test was a rousing success and I have been looking for this seed since then and finally this year it is on the market; so I decided I am going to plant some. The seed is available form Johnny's Seeds. This company is an employee owned company that offers a great variety of seed for the small and large gardener. The seed is expensive, about $0.15 a seed. A nice feature is that the seed is pelletized which makes it easier to work with. Information about the lettuce variety can be found by clicking here.

Information about the plant breeder who developed the Salanova seed can be found by clicking here.

When most people plant lettuce they broadcast the seeds in a row. When it is mature they cut it off near the ground. Depending on the time of the year the lettuce can grow back for another harvest. With Salanova you get one harvest as you cut the plant at ground level when you harvest. If you want head lettuce you leave the core in the head. If you want leaf you remove the core with a paring knife or the special tool that comes free when you order the seed.

Salanova lettuce comes in two leaf types and several colors. The culture of Salanova lettuce is different than other varieties. The main difference is that Salanova requires that seed be started and then transplanted to the location where it grows to maturity. Salanova is a heavy producer as one head of Salanova produces about four of the salad mix bags that you typically find in the grocery store. So a small number of plants go a long way.

I don't know if you can tell from the pictures in my previous post that I planted seven seeds and all the seeds germinated. Now the seeds are growing in the AeroGarden until the seedlings are about 3-4 weeks old. At that point I will transplant to one of my Earthboxes. I will move the Earthbox to west room and put the box under a grow light. Then we will watch and see what happens. Below are some current pictures of the lettuce crop.

Remember, the seeds where planted February 1, 2013 to left is what the lettuce plants looked like last week, February 9, 2013 and to right are the same plants this week, February 16, 2013. Below are some additional pictures of the plants also taken on February 16, 2013.

At the rate these plants are growing I don’t know if I can wait till they are four weeks old to transplant to the Earthbox. Will need to do some research and make a decision to transplant or not transplant?

At any rate will need to ready an Earthbox and plant some spinach this week as it is near spring even though a blizzard is forecasted for next week. Come back next week to see how things are growing.

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Week 1 - Gardening Season Begins

Starting up my blog after a few posts last year. My goal is one post a week about the progress of my garden. True garden fanatics have been thinking about spring and their garden since the first seed catalogs arrived in December.
I spent January drawing plans for the garden, selecting and ordering seed. Now the seeds that I ordered have arrived I am ready to start the growing season. Not going to be starting tomatoes and other warm season plants just yet. It is too early, will wait until around April 1 to do that.
Going to start with a couple of cool season crops. First a new variety of lettuce and a little later some spinach. Will start the lettuce in one of my Aerogardens and then transplant into an Earthbox to grow to harvest. Will direct sow the spinach into Earthbox. Will keep the Earthboxes in our west room. This room is a three season room which means it is unheated. The average temperature of the room during this time of year is around 60F; even when the outside temperature is below 0F the temperature in the room is never below 50F. A temperature in the low 60's would be an ideal temperature for lettuce and spinach. The room also has a lot of windows letting in a lot light which is good but will still need to supplement with grow lights.
Started the lettuce seed on February 1st in one of my Aerogardens. An Aerogarden is a compact hydroponic growing system that I have been using the past several years to grow herbs such as basil and cilantro. I also use it to grow transplants for the garden. While the Aerogarden is somewhat expensive it really is worth the money.

.AeroGarden Information. AeroGarden YouTube Video.

I planted 1 seed in each of seven cells on February 1 and here is what I have today, Feb 8.

Next post I will share with you the variety of lettuce I am growing and information about the Earthboxes that I will use to grow the lettuce to maturity.

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