Anybody here grow lettuce inside in the winter?

[ducks4you]

I'd love some tips. I KNOW that I can start seeds, but I don't really want to waste my time experimenting. I want some advice and tips so that I do it right and don't waste my time. Winter is when I have DOUBLE the amount of animal care. I have to muck stalls for 3 horses and I still keep chickens, even though I have culled them down to 6 hens for this winter.
During the warm weather all I have to do is check food and water and count noses. That is ONLY reason I have energy to garden. =b
So....spill.
Who grows lettuce in the winter and how do you do it?
THANKS!!!!!!

 

[Smart Red]

I grew some through the last winter. I have a sun room I use. I started new seeds every two weeks from Jan. 1 through March 15. The ones planted in March were transplanted into the garden.

Most of the time I picked the leaves very small and left the plant to regrow leaves. The rabbit and chickens got lots of the lettuce.

 

[catjac1975]

Ducks. I have done a bit in my green house in the past. A lot of work for a little harvest. I would put a fan on them so the leaves toughen up a bit-they are very fragile otherwise. A fun experiment.I do have some alive outdoors still. I covered them with a plastic sheet just a couple nights. We have had 2-3 cold nights and so far they have stayed alive and are quite tasty. I planted then direct seed in September. I ct the tops to eat and they sprout new leaves fairly quickly.

 

[digitS']

I did not try lettuce in my greenhouse either this winter or last.

The reason is simple. If I can't grow them because of the cold in the autumn garden, why think that I can grow the plants thru the winter? A favorite Asian green, Maruba Santoh, is too slow growing in the cool weeks of autumn to inspire any confidence either.

Lettuce seed germinates at low temperatures. Maybe it will grow quickly enough for you, @ducks4you .

They may not be what you had in mind but spinach, perhaps corn salad and arugula are cool season salad greens. The Asian greens I have are really for our stir-fry. They do come out of the greenhouse both tasty and tender.

Steve

 

[curly_kate]

I was thinking I might be able to grow spinach in a sunny windowsill inside my house, but it still doesn't seem to be enough light. I have grow lights I could put on them, but I don't think it would be worth it. I'll be interested to hear if you have some success with it.

 

[catjac1975]

I was thinking I might be able to grow spinach in a sunny windowsill inside my house, but it still doesn't seem to be enough light. I have grow lights I could put on them, but I don't think it would be worth it. I'll be interested to hear if you have some success with it.

It's only worth it for the fun of it. I have a tunnel greenhouse that I bought to extend the growing season and the beginning and end of the season. With all of my many gardens it was not really worth all of the work. I got tomatoes only a week or two earlier and later. Once the main outdoor plants turned red it did not seem to be worth the effort. They were still not as good as outdoor tomatoes. I did have green early broccoli the first year. The woodchucks that sneaked in said they were delicious. I would do it if I had more time. This year it may have been a big advantage however,as my tomatoes were late in ripening as everyone else seemed to also complain about. Maybe 'llt try again next spring-tomatoes and lettuce.

 

[jackb]

Sure, I grow lettuce during the winter, along with other greens. The plants are grown hydroponically, in systems I home built, with the lighting and watering controlled by timers. The only maintenance is a weekly nutrient change that takes about an hour. From left to right: salad bowl lettuce, beet greens and chard. There is one other system waiting for a crop of cimmaron romaine seedlings that are in process.

jackb

 

[w_r_ranch]

Very nice setup there Jack!!! Kudos to you!!!

 

[ninnymary]

Well I feel left out in this thread. I grow lettuce outside in the winter.

Mary

 

[catjac1975]

Sure, I grow lettuce during the winter, along with other greens. The plants are grown hydroponically, in systems I home built, with the lighting and watering controlled by timers. The only maintenance is a weekly nutrient change that takes about an hour. From left to right: salad bowl lettuce, beet greens and chard. There is one other system waiting for a crop of cimmaron romaine seedlings that are in process.

jackb

Jack-those are beautiful greens!