Lettuce

[dirtdogs]

I bought four EB originals on Cyber Monday and I'm admittedly a novice to both EB and gardening, having spent a lifetime staring at my black thumbs.  I was hoping to plant some lettuce, these are red "salad bowl" leaf lettuces I started 3 wks ago.  They're rather leggy, and I'd like some advice on when I should transplant them (i.e. how big should they be) and whether or not I should plant them a bit deeper i.e. bury the stems.  Thank you in advance.

[gardendoc]

Welcome to the EarthBox addiction zone. I have myself 136 EBs.

I wouldn't transplant them yet, they need more size and root system before going into your EBs. If inside under lights, try and get them into higher light, like setting outside on warmer days. I don't even consider transplanting my lettuce plugs until at least 28 days after germination.

[dirtdogs]

Thanks, Gary.  We're at 28 days now, and I've been leaving them outside.  Our temps are ranging 60s to 70s most days for the highs (mid 80s apparently for end of next week, this is strange), I tuck them by a wall next to the trash cans for a bit of shelter at night.  They are growing slowly but seemingly steadily, and I am getting a bit of algae on the soilless seed starting mix I have them in.  It's peat based, and I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon, I'd read that somewhere.  Anything else I need to do to address the algae?  I am trying to wait till they dry out a bit (I feed from the bottom).

[gardendoc]

First, the cinnamon doesn't do anything, save for your toast. Since you're bottom watering let them dry out a bit, that germination mix really holds the water and can keep the root system from developing. I'd also start watering from the top and letting the 6-packs drain.

[dirtdogs]

It's good with coffee and hot chocolate too!  Thanks again, Gary.  With temps being unseasonably warm and humidity sometimes dipping into the single digit zone even now, I have obviously been a bit too concerned with underwatering!

.....and now for the math test at the bottom of this page........