[sandygreen]

I have some Tom thumb and lolla rosa which I have grown in pots which are now ready to go out.  I have hardened them off (a bit!) Can I put them out this weekend bearing in mind the weather is going to be cold, wet and windy (well it is the Bank Holiday weekend).  I haven't heard of any frosts due, and I guess I could cover them with fleece if anything should come along.  Just wondered about the cooler weather coming up?

[Trillium]

Lettuce actually do better in cool weather than warm so they'll be fine. Be sure to water them well regardless of rain forecasts. If you haven't hardened them off long enough then they should be okay in overcast weather.

[jondav]

What I ve found is that if you leave it too late to plant out lettuce,the plants you get tend to be tough and rather stunted,the general consensus seems to be ,plant out before the end of may

[sclarke624]

They are so easy to grow and so many seeds in the packet, you wouldn't have much to loose if they do die really.  I've got some out, taking the risk, altough some are winter gem lettuce.  You could put a cut plastic bottle over them if worried to act like a cloche.

[Paul Plots]

I planted my first lot on the plot yesterday.... grown in a tray so not that big to start with.

I put mine in a long cloche to help speed them along... if they don't make it I have loads in reserve 

Take a chance and stick them in I say!!   

It worked last year...

[sandygreen]

You're all quite right, with the number of seeds - why am I worrying? Sometimes I wonder where common sense goes to!  Anyway, they have been planted out and I am sure will survive.  Thanks for bringing me to my senses

[sclarke624]

You are welcome, I know where you are coming from though, you've nutured them, you grew them, you care about them, daft isn't it.  Which is why I end up with tons more Toms than I need and tons more celery than I need, I just can't bear to throw any.  Although I must be getting slightly better as now year three or four of growing my own I have actually thrown 8 weedy looking celery germinations, of still got 50 of the things...................LOL

[hamstergbert]

Like many others I used to twitch about wasting the un-needed seedlings that were always going to be the case unless the germination rate for lettuce dropped to a fraction of one percent!   However you can use a few by potting them on into small individual pots and let 'em grow a bit.  When making  a sandwich you can just snip them off just above potting mix level, quick rinse and throw them straight into the sarnie (depending on size of potted seedlings and of course size of sarnie, use however many of them you want).  Rathe rnice in any case, but nicer still with the slightly smug feeling that you ar echowing down on somehting that otherwise would be thrown away.

The other benefit is that if your planted out ones suffer from major slug attacka nd disappear, you can switch to plan b and plant out some of your 'sarnie seedlings' without having to wait for the next succession seedlings to be ready for putting out.

[viettaclark]

I freecycle alot of my spares which gets me Brownie points and I get to meet some nice gardeners!!!

[sclarke624]

However you can use a few by potting them on into small individual pots and let 'em grow a bit.  When making  a sandwich you can just snip them off just above potting mix level, quick rinse and throw them straight into the sarnie
The other benefit is that if your planted out ones suffer from major slug attacka nd disappear, you can switch to plan b and plant out some of your 'sarnie seedlings' without having to wait for the next succession seedlings to be ready for putting out.

Thats a good idea keep a few indoors, now why didn't I think of that.