second full harvest

[daveb]

ok so now at 6 1/2 weeks in on this batch of NFT grown lettuce, and ready for second full cut. aprox 34 lbs harvested to date with one full cut and a prior snipping select leafs for early salad.

have not decided if i will take cut everything back fully or cut one of two plant back and then selective cut the rest. I estimate if i take full cut like first harvest i would take in range 22 to 26 lbs at least

12th one week after first harvest growth coming back up



this past Saturday 19th


today 11-22 time for second cut

 

[JP 1983]

Wow they're crazy

 

[daveb]

Wow they're crazy

yes the growth on 12th was after it had been cut back like a flat top on almost all of the lettuce on the 6th, , so from cut at average 3/4 to 1 inch above the net pot back to a harvest-able size average is 2 weeks today was 16 days i will still get another full cut and maybe 2 more it depends how flavors hold up, ir just like cutting in garden as the plant ages the flavors have a subtle change in flavor in background.
Front left 2 plants i may get one more cut that is the Bronze Mignonette it likes it cooler and i can tell from leafs colors they will maybe start taking on a slight bitterness and color is showing i may need to dim the LED intensity a bit on some of the spectrum's. it looks like they are getting bleached out from light

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Oh wow they've just exploded with growth

 

[daveb]

Oh wow they've just exploded with growth

scary the difference just in 3 days isn't it

 

[daveb]

well i managed to get a couple photos the other day set phone down and forgot about it and the battery died. so anyways the photos below first is from the 22nd cropped to focus on the buttercrunch in center, to left is black seeded simpson to right is another buttercrunch, as can be seen the center buttercrunch over laps into other 2 by a significant amount. each plant is 8 inch ( 20.3 cm ) apart to reference this one i did manage to to get photos of.

the 6th this was cut back to approximately 1 1/2 inch above the net pot, the center shoots back up if some leaf growth is left at center , or plant sends up side shoots from around base if cut like i did the other day. This head is over 16 inches ( 40.6 cm ) across , center stem where i cut is a aprox 1/2 inch in diameter and you can see where first cut was made so it left a center growth to come back from.
I did severe cut to see how they will regrow and form for side shoots this will delay next harvest greatly and should produce some side growth.

side note i should have cut them a bit earlier i cute them thursday last week on 24th tastes is still remarkable but i can notice a subtle bitterness in background on the blackseed simpsom because regrowth was too big. no noticeable signs of bolting of the lettuce but i feel i could have cut its at the 19th/20th so at 2 weeks of regrowth. the darker types like the Buttercrunch, Romaine or Bronze Mignonette show no sign of bitterness and the paler varieties very slight subtle hint on the larger leafs

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Too bad about the slight bitterness, perhaps next time better. They look amazing though!

 

[daveb]

Too bad about the slight bitterness, perhaps next time better. They look amazing though!

the only one notice any bitterness and you have to actually deliberately hold it in mouth to tell was the black seed simpson the other darker leaf lettuce didnt show it and only the largest of leafs on and just a hint on one very large leaf from the ruby red. with onions peppers tomatoes in a salad the subtle bitterness wasnt even noticeable at all.
the buttercrunch variety in photo with hand was remarkable taste it carried the nice sweet slight buttery tone very smooth and clean, the texture was crisp crunch this and bronze mignonette and my romaines will be my focus for the largest plantings for simple reason more tolerant to heat they dont bolt as fast as other varieties and these factors make them less bitter even as heat goes up, the black seed simpson i usually harvest earlier then other because it produces faster but bolts easy

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I think I'd currently struggle with my plants bolting regardless, as it's hot both in and outside the house, haha.

 

[daveb]

I think I'd currently struggle with my plants bolting regardless, as it's hot both in and outside the house, haha.

what is your shadiest window area south facing or side of house? You can make you own little micro climate with netting a few low growing shade trees and stuff like the netting use for fruit or white flies or shade cloth spread tree to tree a mist nozzle the occasionally just shoots a fine mist the shade and evaporation can drop the air temperature any where from 10 to 30% . have friends in Arizona they set some shade cloth up in area pretty large from photos some bushes along part and it up pm coolest side close to north side of their house i saw i would say their area is at least 1/4 acre and they grow lettuce and some other heat sensitive vegetables they were telling me last summer it was anywhere from 10 to 16 degrees F cooler consistently and if the water plants they spray the netting and drops as much as 23 f. I think biggest factor is it shades the ground enough so it stays cooler letting the cooler ground act as a heat buffer. Never had to do it because we tend to be cooler here but with a couple test i am going to be doing with hydroponics in a raised platform with a raft float set up and another with a bell siphon with flood and drain i may shade a few beds to test.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Ahh, I've actually only got windows on 2 sides of the house; one gets full morning sun and the other gets full afternoon sun. I do have a covered patio where I was already growing them originally, but with temperatures daily well into the 30s (Celcius), there is no hiding from it.

 

[daveb]

Ahh, I've actually only got windows on 2 sides of the house; one gets full morning sun and the other gets full afternoon sun. I do have a covered patio where I was already growing them originally, but with temperatures daily well into the 30s (Celcius), there is no hiding from it.

last few summers here and its hard for many to fathom we have had short spells of heat of 35 to 38c which for us is extreme thank god it is not prolonged heat, my friends down in Arizona come summer for use here the average 39 to 41c day and 27 to 29c at night. Yes they did a large amount of landscape work with trees, bushes, and the nets but everything they have said when i have talked with them they love it . i honestly do not know how much they have in cost in it but i also dont want to know. And some areas it will be almost impossible to erect an adequate netting and tress to be affective

 

[daveb]

side shoots off the basil trimmed a few weeks ago " large leaf Italian basil "


This second is " sweet basil " it has smaller leafs a milder flavor then the large leaf Italian with subtle pungent aroma in back ground some may notice a slight licoricey taste to the background . This particular basil hold its aroma and flavor when used in cooking at higher temperatures then the large leaf Italian



decided the redo the NFT taking out a few of the lettuce and going to shift a few spots over to "Tiny Tim" tomatoes in this grow area

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

They look good

Switching because Tiny Tim's might suit better in smaller spaces?

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

How have they been growing lately @daveb ?