Do you think I have a chance at getting some lettuce at this point?

[vfem]

I planted some Tom Thumb Lettuce today, it says generally they can be ready for harvest in 65 days. That would be the second weekend of November. I know its a bit late, but we have some great long warm falls here in NC. Do you think they will develop or do you think I could expect to see them pop up early next spring?

 

[me&thegals]

Sure I know I say this so often that folks will suspect I own stock in this product, but floating row covers help keep things a bit warmer and protected to extend the season...

 

[patandchickens]

If you do something to keep it warm on cool nights (even if frost is not threatened - you want to keep it warm so it will grow faster), then I'd say absolutely you will get some harvest. Potentially a very full harvest, if you use floating row covers or put a coldframe over it or whatever... although the longer season-extenders tend to be more maintenance intensive (having to cover in evening then uncover before sun gets too high).

Heck, *I* just planted my fall lettuce a couple weeks ago, and fully expect (on basis of past track record) to get some reasonable harvest with them in windowboxes in a coldframe in front of my heat-reflecting coop building. If I can do that here in Ontario, you can certainly still get fall lettuce in NC

Have fun,

Pat

 

[curly_kate]

I actually use a large plastic bin with holes drilled in the bottom to grow my lettuce. That way, I can just bring it in when it gets cold. I tried it this spring, and it worked really well, so I'm doing it again this fall.

 

[vfem]

Wow... good to hear guys. These are in boxes on the deck, so completely movable if need be. I was just hoping to not drag a whole lot in all at once.

I got a TON of things I'll be trying to grow indoors all winter as is!

Besides... I just can't wait to eat it!

 

[bills]

I can't speak of the results you may get with Tom Thumb variety, as I have never grown it, but I would give it a shot.

Last year I planted some Butterhead lettuce late in the summer. We managed to harvest some good leaves, rather than yanking the whole head, for salads. As the weather got cooler, I put my little A frame greenhouses over them. When winter set in, (frost, snow), I just left them thinking they would die back, and rot. To my surprise they actually lived through winter and were perking up again in early spring. We had several good meals before they went to seed, upon which I served them to the chickens.

The A frames are easy, and inexpensive to build, just using scrap lumber from pallets, and some plastic sheeting. Make them small enough you can move them around the garden as needed.

I planted more Butterhead, as well as red romaine, and curly saladbowl leaf, in late August this year, and they are nice little plants already.

Good luck!

 

[vfem]

I did plant some butterhead the first week of August. Its not ready yet... but I have 2 that are nice and full... and hopefully ready in time for late fall BBQ.

My tom thumb lettuce has sprouted (its a type of butterhead but only gets as big as a tennis ball, its like personal size), and I think it will do great. I even threw out a few more radish seeds as my last batch will be harvest ready this weekend. So far the weather is being GREAT.