Pricking Out Lettuce

Lettuce seedlings getting too cramped. Need transplanting (pricking out). But this cold windy weather has caused a problem.



I like to prick out tiny seedlings at this stage, just as the first true leaf (the one which looks like the plant) is emerging between the two cotyledons. However, with the weather being so bad, I have left it rather too long. So am now forced to transplant them, weather or no weather.




I am putting some in the container outside, which we prepared earlier. No, they are not weeds growing in the centre, they're our spring onions!

Instead of giving them a full spacing of 20cm (8 inches), I am cramming them up a bit (10 cm). If they all take, we can remove some before they are fully grown to make room for the others.

We need to keep a close watch-out for slugs.

With the winter now fast approaching, I am not too hopeful of success.



Old plant trays are really useful at times like these. After washing out and filling with soil (or compost), I am putting some lettuce in as an insurance, in case we lose those outside. I haven't covered the tray (you can buy perspex covers for these trays in garden centres), but have made sure they are well-watered and kept warm but out of the sun. If they wilt too much, I will cover them later (and/or spray with clean water).

You can buy non-heated propagators in garden centres, which are this size (half full seed tray) and ideal for placing on a windowsill. I saw one this year which had a base tray to hold 3 propagators.

The trick with transplanting is to be very gentle with the plants. Take care not to bruise them, and not to disturb the soil around the roots any more than necessary.