Growing lettuce in the shade?

[southrngardngal]

I thought I posted this question a little while ago but so far it hasn't shown up so I will repost and if both show up then I will do away with one.

O.K. now to the question. Have any of you ever grown leaf lettuce either in the shade or in mostly shade? I love to grow my own lettuces but it has already gotten so hot here that I don't think the lettuce would tolerate the heat and sun.

I have a couple of places in one of my flower beds that is mostly shade. Do you think that the lettuce would grow there. I know it is growing veggies in a flower bed but I think the different greens of the lettuce leaves would be pretty in the flower garden. And anyway, I would rather grow food there than non-food plants. I don't like to buy lettuce at the grocery store and I love to be able to run out and pick my salads.

Thank you for any information that you have.

Jan

[Rita]

It certainly would be worth the cost of some lettuce seeds. I'm going to try the same thing. This is the first year I have used a cattle panel (bent like an arbor) and planted cukes on the two sides and when they grow up and cover the "arbor" I will plant some lettuce in the shade. Sure worth a try to get some nice, tasty, healthy lettuce. Rita

[southrngardngal]

Thanks for the reply Rita. All the information that I have read says to plant in full sun. Full sun here in Central Mississippi is scorching this time of the year.

Hubby and I eat some type of leafy veggie salad every day. Also, I read an article a few weeks ago concerning veggies with the most toxins sprayed on them and if I am not wrong the lettuces have more than other veggies.

I suppose there is nothing like trying.

Jan

[Abouttime]

I have some lettuce planted between broc and caul plants, that are almost totally shaded. It seems to be growing as well as the plants in full sun.

[Cyngbaeld]

Yes, grow it in the shade if you can and also keep it picked hard back to keep it from bolting in the heat. Pick all but a few leaves in the center of the plant at least 2x a week depending on how fast it is growing. The red leafed varieties do better in the heat.

[Yldrosie]

I planted various kinds of lettuce in a shady spot in my yard and they did fine. So good in fact, they wintered over under the snow, and are now bigger and better than ever. They get about an hour or so of sun the the morning and that's it. So this year I planted the whole area with lettuce and it's up and doing fine.

[Maura]

My Italian father in law plants lettuce with the tomatoes. The lettuce starts out getting plenty of sun, then is gradually shaded by the tomato plants.

[Rita]

Just had another thought. I understand the deer's tongue lettuce type stands the heat the best but had not tried it yet. Rita

[Pony]

The Summer here is so hot and humid, I intentionally plant my lettuce in the shade. If I get an early start, of course, I can plant it in full sun. But once we've had our 5 minutes of Spring between Winter and Summer, the greens have to go to the shady spots!

Good luck with your lettuce! I'm going to go plant some today.

Pony!

[zealot]

Yes, lettuce does fine in the shade.

[southrngardngal]

Thanks everyone. I planted some in the shady area near one of my rabbit pens. But the only thing I could find that I had on hand when I got ready to plant was romaine so I don't know how it will do but here's hoping.

When hubby gets a chance to go back to the county co-op I will get him to pick me up some more seeds. Then I will plant it in another place that I cleaned off while preparing the first bed. They both are in almost complete shade.

I appreciate your help.

Jan

[skruzich]

I am in zone 6b, and can't grow lettuce in summer even in the shade. too hot.
I have to plant mine in sept, for my fall/winter crop and feb for my spring.

[southrngardngal]

I may not have any luck with it either since my zone is 7b but since this is in the ground already I will see how it does. I will wait before planting any more.

Jan