How to grow lettuce: sow, plant, protect plus the Charles Dowding picking method
Lettuce plants can produce for months when harvested by hand (no knife!) and kept tidy (fewer slugs!), I show you the method here. You also see the results of …
… I used to watch rap videos and boxing clips on you tube. Since I stumbled on your videos my fingers have turned green and the gym has turned into a greenhouse. Bless you Charles you are an inspiration.
why does your description emphasize "no knife"?
perlite, vemeculite, etc etc are like asbestos. they are very very toxic. they take 40 years to kill but you will die a horrific death
Sibling seeds compromise on the vitality so that all could survive. this includes root development. By removing The weakest seeds you are promoting selfish behavior in seeding population.
So if we don't want root rot, why use peat? Isn't that used for water retention?
Just getting my 4 year old grandson interested. Discovered making mud pies is a good introduction to the soil.
Thanks Charles, for all your work to teach us so effectively. I'm a bit confused about the "Maravilla di Verona". Where I live here in Spain we have a very common variety called "Maravilla de verano" which at least looks similar to yours and is crispy. It's the one that best stands the summer heat before it finally also bolts (shoots?) Googleing, I found both varieties, but mostly "de verano", and I hardly can imagine that there are 2 different varieties with such a similar name. Thanks if u can clarify.
Hi Charles, in many of your video (as you do in your books) you refer to planting out into deep holes and not being too delicate about it. I thought that you could only bury a lettuce seedlings up to the small circular leafs at the base which I believe the been doing much of the photosynthesis? Grateful if you could clarify as planting deeper would definitely provide more support! Thanks.
How come brits insist on not differentiate soil and actual compost?
I am completely new to vegetable gardening and i really appreciate your videos on no-dig gardening. I live in an area where there are no earth worms due to predation by new Zealand flatworms. Do you think that will severely impact the microbial activity when trying to grow plants?
more like charles BORING
How anyone can dislike this video is beyond me. The knowledge and expertise you share is gold. Thank you sir 👍
Hi Charles! Thank you so much for all the content. We live in the high desert in Utah (5600ft altitude), although I am originally from South West of Scotland. We just converted a frustrating weedy/grassy 250 sq ft to a no dig garden! We go from -26F in the winter to 97F in summer! Sourced the cardboard from my work and purchased our soil from a local family run business and built tunnels over each bed which was mostly made from leftovers from other projects. You're method to garden beds is so much easier, will be investing on the course at some point! Thanks again for all the information! I've been sharing it with everyone!
How often do you water your gardens? Everyday…..or what? do you use a sprinkler or what?
question – do you harden them off first when moving from greenhouse to garden?
I love the fact that you don’t have any complicated irrigation piping all over the place. I my self enjoy spending time watering each day as I get a chance to see what’s going on in the garden. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom Sir. Your knowledge is invaluable to me 🙏🏼
I just threw mine in the dirt and Wallah they ALL grew…
I have no problem getting them to germinate at all. I can’t keep the seedlings from uprooting during storms. Same thing with spinach. Drives me up the wall.
Buongiorno mister Dowding, grazie dei suoi interessanti video, le sarei grato (pensò anche molti altri) se potesse mettere la traduzione in italiano.
👍
Amazing video on lettuces. Now I understand why my seedlings are spindly. I used to start them in the only sunny window I have here. I would start them around this time of year when it's still down to -15 each night but the days are sunny and warm – I thought I was giving them a good start, but they were always leggy. They really only got a few hours of sun each day in that window. Typically we can't plant in the ground until beginning of June. May usually has some frosty nights but nothing close to -15…I wonder if I could plant my lettuce seeds in the trays and leave them outside in May?Covered with frost cloth perhaps? Or should I wait to sow them directly into the ground when the chance of frost is over? Next year I plan to set up a room with grow lights, so that should help things along, but I can't get that done this season yet!
очень нравится. всегда смотрю Вас.😊😊😊жалко нет субтриптов на русском языке.😥😥😥
For your comparison, wouldn't it be more valid if you sowed in the same compost on both sides, except one side with vermiculite and the other side without?
I like your no-dig/just-stab method.
This video changed the way I grow lettuce. My lettuce has been a failure in the past. Used this method and now have a nice dense, fluffy tray of Bibb lettuce seedlings to pick apart today. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I believe vermiculite is used to absorb water and perlite is to incorporate air into the soil. 🙂
I live in tropics where we could grow all year long. But sadly the 90s generations up to now many people are not interested to grow their own food. They prefer to grow flowers and grass because it looks more beautiful. So when they complaint about the prices, I just smile.
Really love your videos Charles and have learnt a lot. Wondering what that 'fleece' is that covers your seedlings? Here in NZ we might call it 'frostcloth' – a kind of a matted fabric a bit like Vilene that people who sew would know.
Loving your videos! I thought vermiculite was not environmentally friendly as it is not sustainable. What is your take on that aspect of it?
Managed to find and order some Bijou. Hopefully it'll arrive soon. Curious to see what it tastes like after your endorsement. I also have the problem of tending to sow more than I have room for, but that's a better problem to have than having not enough.
Charles….you’ve the patience of Job…Excellent tutorial as usual.😎
How do you keep rabbits and other animals out of your gardens? Thanks!
… I used to watch rap videos and boxing clips on you tube. Since I stumbled on your videos my fingers have turned green and the gym has turned into a greenhouse. Bless you Charles you are an inspiration.
why does your description emphasize "no knife"?
perlite, vemeculite, etc etc are like asbestos. they are very very toxic. they take 40 years to kill but you will die a horrific death
Sibling seeds compromise on the vitality so that all could survive. this includes root development. By removing The weakest seeds you are promoting selfish behavior in seeding population.
So if we don't want root rot, why use peat? Isn't that used for water retention?
Just getting my 4 year old grandson interested. Discovered making mud pies is a good introduction to the soil.
Thanks Charles, for all your work to teach us so effectively. I'm a bit confused about the "Maravilla di Verona". Where I live here in Spain we have a very common variety called "Maravilla de verano" which at least looks similar to yours and is crispy. It's the one that best stands the summer heat before it finally also bolts (shoots?) Googleing, I found both varieties, but mostly "de verano", and I hardly can imagine that there are 2 different varieties with such a similar name. Thanks if u can clarify.
Hi Charles, in many of your video (as you do in your books) you refer to planting out into deep holes and not being too delicate about it. I thought that you could only bury a lettuce seedlings up to the small circular leafs at the base which I believe the been doing much of the photosynthesis? Grateful if you could clarify as planting deeper would definitely provide more support! Thanks.
How come brits insist on not differentiate soil and actual compost?
I am completely new to vegetable gardening and i really appreciate your videos on no-dig gardening. I live in an area where there are no earth worms due to predation by new Zealand flatworms. Do you think that will severely impact the microbial activity when trying to grow plants?
more like charles BORING
How anyone can dislike this video is beyond me. The knowledge and expertise you share is gold. Thank you sir 👍
Hi Charles! Thank you so much for all the content. We live in the high desert in Utah (5600ft altitude), although I am originally from South West of Scotland. We just converted a frustrating weedy/grassy 250 sq ft to a no dig garden! We go from -26F in the winter to 97F in summer! Sourced the cardboard from my work and purchased our soil from a local family run business and built tunnels over each bed which was mostly made from leftovers from other projects. You're method to garden beds is so much easier, will be investing on the course at some point! Thanks again for all the information! I've been sharing it with everyone!
How often do you water your gardens? Everyday…..or what? do you use a sprinkler or what?
question – do you harden them off first when moving from greenhouse to garden?
I love the fact that you don’t have any complicated irrigation piping all over the place. I my self enjoy spending time watering each day as I get a chance to see what’s going on in the garden. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom Sir. Your knowledge is invaluable to me 🙏🏼
I just threw mine in the dirt and Wallah they ALL grew…
I have no problem getting them to germinate at all. I can’t keep the seedlings from uprooting during storms. Same thing with spinach. Drives me up the wall.
Buongiorno mister Dowding, grazie dei suoi interessanti video, le sarei grato (pensò anche molti altri) se potesse mettere la traduzione in italiano.
👍
Amazing video on lettuces. Now I understand why my seedlings are spindly. I used to start them in the only sunny window I have here. I would start them around this time of year when it's still down to -15 each night but the days are sunny and warm – I thought I was giving them a good start, but they were always leggy. They really only got a few hours of sun each day in that window. Typically we can't plant in the ground until beginning of June. May usually has some frosty nights but nothing close to -15…I wonder if I could plant my lettuce seeds in the trays and leave them outside in May?Covered with frost cloth perhaps? Or should I wait to sow them directly into the ground when the chance of frost is over? Next year I plan to set up a room with grow lights, so that should help things along, but I can't get that done this season yet!
очень нравится. всегда смотрю Вас.😊😊😊жалко нет субтриптов на русском языке.😥😥😥
For your comparison, wouldn't it be more valid if you sowed in the same compost on both sides, except one side with vermiculite and the other side without?
I like your no-dig/just-stab method.
This video changed the way I grow lettuce. My lettuce has been a failure in the past. Used this method and now have a nice dense, fluffy tray of Bibb lettuce seedlings to pick apart today. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I believe vermiculite is used to absorb water and perlite is to incorporate air into the soil. 🙂
I live in tropics where we could grow all year long. But sadly the 90s generations up to now many people are not interested to grow their own food. They prefer to grow flowers and grass because it looks more beautiful. So when they complaint about the prices, I just smile.
Really love your videos Charles and have learnt a lot. Wondering what that 'fleece' is that covers your seedlings? Here in NZ we might call it 'frostcloth' – a kind of a matted fabric a bit like Vilene that people who sew would know.
Loving your videos! I thought vermiculite was not environmentally friendly as it is not sustainable. What is your take on that aspect of it?
Managed to find and order some Bijou. Hopefully it'll arrive soon. Curious to see what it tastes like after your endorsement. I also have the problem of tending to sow more than I have room for, but that's a better problem to have than having not enough.
Charles….you’ve the patience of Job…Excellent tutorial as usual.😎
How do you keep rabbits and other animals out of your gardens? Thanks!