Can I sow lettuce seeds now.

I have a 12x10 garden shed with a shelf which runs along in front of the windows and wondered if it would be ok to plant some lettuce seed in pots on the shelf maybe cabbage as well or do they need heat to germinate.They would get the sun there when we eventually get some sun that is.

 

I have several raised beds ready to be used they all had manure put in them in October left for a few months and then mixed it all up with the compost that was in the beds.Have also just sprinkled some fertiliser on the beds so by the time the plants are ready to plant out the beds should be ready.I presume I can do cabbage the same way.

 

Forgot to say that I have some fleece I can use if there is frost around.

 

Do you have electrics in your shed? There's plenty of people who grow lettuce indoors under grow lights over winter. Googling lettuce under lights should produce quite a few bits. LED lights are cheap to buy and run, 4 of these fittings should do the job T5 LED INTEGRATED TUBE LAMP LIGHT 5W 9W 600MM 300MM COOL WHITE 6000K WARM WHITE | eBay , or simply use pendant light fittings with LED lights (cool white) from Screwfix such as https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-bc-g...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKqju7a07tgCFRZIGwodLicPKA (NB haven't checked whether they are cool or warm white, 6,000 to 6,500 Kelvin is what's required)

I have growlights, but not cool running LEDs, and found them rather warm for growing lettuce, but intend trying it when I sent up a third grow light box fitted out with LEDs.

 

Its really about what variety of lettuce you intend to sow this month.

You need to look out for the Winter types , Suttons have a few to choose from, you should find them in the garden centers or by post.
Lettuce Seeds - Vailan - Winter Gem at Suttons Seeds
Move on to the summer ones more around the end of March ,depending on where you live /climate.

They might germinate if its warm enough, but a small electric propagator will help or you could start them off indoors.
I would have thought the light by the shed window would be enough to grow them on.

Re your raised beds, during these wet winter months a lot of nutrients are washed away, so you really need to add fertiliser when the young plants are actively growing.

 

I'd go for Mizuna, half lettuce, half turnip, has antifreeze for blood and you don't dare kill it

 

My thinking is, that any lettuce or cabbage you sow now is very likely to be overtaken by any you sow in early March.
And I'm willing to bet the March sown ones will be stronger plants.

 

I have three electric propagators which are on the shelf.I did put manure on the beds in October and last week spread fertiliser on a couple of beds but may put a layer of fresh compost on the top when I am ready to use them which is what I did last spring.

 

If you have the props , then give the seeds a go, nothing to loose.

With 3 props and sounding interested in such greens you could try one of these, just got mine the other day, but waiting for my sweetpeas to germinate in the propagator before I can use them.
Micro Leaves were on the tv the other day and seems they are very healthy for you.
Micro-Leaf Seeds - GRO-KIT

Afraid the fertilizer you added last week will mostly have been washed away, its really too cold and wet to be of use. Much better to add it just before planting or a little after when the plants are actively growing and really need it.

"Fresh" compost ? animal manure ? if its really fresh then perhaps not the best thing to use around seeds / young plants as , depending on what it is made of, it could burn the young leaves.
Better dug in or added as a well rotted mulch when the plants more mature, imho.

 

I put pots of lettuce seed in propagators to germinate, then get them out ASAP before they grow spindly and drawn, sowing the seeds thinly helps avoid that, then transplanting to cell trays and moving somewhere cool and well lit.

I think I mentioned above about failing growing them under warm T5 lights, but might try a few varieties under LEDs, I'm all for trying something new each year, pushing stuff to the limits often reveals benefits for more general growing.