My eco solution to rat problems

[Murdo]

Starting another plant specific so as not to go off topic in the cuttings section. Aren't I being a good boy today

 

I noticed someone posted that they always cut off the lettuce above the roots to let them come again. But if you select your varieties carefully you don't actually need to pick the whole lettuce to start with.

 

This pick and pluck approach has a couple of advantages. Firstly it makes better use of the growing area over a longer period than a pick and start again approach. Secondly it means the growing area is more fully utilised over a longer portion of the year. You can actually grow enough lettuces to give you salad a couple of times a week over a few months in a window box.

 

So for example iceberg lettuce get cut all at once and then the plant has to be regrown from scratch. But something like lollo rosso, mascara or frisby just keeps on coming. Take three leaves off each of the lettuces every couple of days and you've got salad twice a week.

 

The Managing Director bought me Patrick Whitefield's 'The Earth Care Manual', a permaculture handbook for Christmas. The above is lifted to the extent that you'll probably see him suing me for copyright infringement.

 

But I've tried it this year and it's very effective.

[Trish]

I've use a seed mix bought as one packet. I can't remember the varieties in it but they are all loose leaved. I sowed three squares about two weeks apart and between them they've kept me in as much lettuce as I've wanted for almost two months now and I eat a lot of lettuce. I've just sown another patch somewhere else and I'm hoping I'll be able to keep a lettuce supply going for a lot longer yet. Very pleased with myself as it they first year I've really tried

[Lesley]

We do sow a few of the picking sort but I find they arenearly always soft leaved and we like the crisp Romano type. Also - we eat a whole lettuce at a time, not just a few leaves half a lettuce each

[motherhen]

I do the cut and come or beheading leaving stalk depending on how much time I have. The next thing I'm going to try as well, having read about it, is thickly sowing a variety of lettuce and then 'mowing' a section to get a load of baby leaves. Apparently the baby leaves regrow and if you get the right number of plants going you can have a continuous cycle that supplies baby leaves all year round if you put them under cover in the winter.

[Trish]

Thanks for that Jane I've a few square coming up for replanting, I'll give that a go I think