Thursday, June 9, 2011

This project has been put off too long.


The plant in the photo above is Waldmann's Green lettuce. which is the standard variety in long dark looseleaf types.

Although seeds for this variety are inexpensive and readily available; I intend to grow this plant for seed. Why bother? Well, for two reasons; I have never grown lettuce for seed, and an ideal specimen of lettuce can produce up to 60,000 seeds! This I just have to see to believe. It is probably true, as lettuce seed is really cheap.

Generations ago seed saving was not only common, but essential. Ancient man carried seed with him on his migrations, forcing plants to adapt to new conditions or perish, and they crossed with native plants producing new varieties.

Given the conditions in the greenhouse in summer, I would think that it would not take too long for this plant to go to seed.

Time will tell...

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