[Success/H360] Batavia Laura Lettuce (Apr 17, 2021)

[ERR0R1755]

I received these seeds through the Seed Savers Exchange's ADAPT 2021 program.

Batavia type lettuce with high savoyed, ruffled, yellow-green leaves. Plants reach 7-8" tall, 14-15" wide at maturity and form a loose, circular head. Acquired by SSE from Peace Seeds (CV Pe1). A variety by this name has been exchanged in the SSE Yearbook Exchange for over 20 years beginning in 1991.

Placed four seeds in an Oasis Horticube eS and placed it into a glass of water, no nutes added yet. Will move into a Harvest 360 once it germinates.

[Sher]

Looking forward to watching them grow.

[ERR0R1755]

I've been trying out these Oasis cubes as a replacement for rockwool. So far I am liking them better, they're less messy, they're biodegradable, and they don't collapse on themselves like rockwool tends to.

My only complaint is that I should have gotten a bigger size so that I could cut them to my needs.

[Shawn]

What kind of material?  How do they compare too AG and Park sponges?  Just curious.

[ERR0R1755]

Apr 18, 2021 0:02:23 GMT -5 Shawn said:

What kind of material?  How do they compare too AG and Park sponges?  Just curious.

It's some type of foam, but they don't expand/shrink as they get wet/dry like the AG and Urban Leaf sponges do. I haven't tried the Park sponges but I assume those work the same way as the AG and Urban Leaf?

It's also more of a solid material than how the AG/UL sponges are squishy. From what little testing I've done so far, roots seem to have absolutely no issue growing through the material.

Here is the Amazon link for the ones that I got - the page has been updated to sell them in sets of 20 sheets for some reason, but when I purchased it, it was just a set of 3 sheets (and much cheaper!)

[Shawn]

Thanks for the review/explanation

[ERR0R1755]

24 hours later and these seeds are already starting to send out roots! It's amazing how fast some plants can grow.

[ERR0R1755]

I see seedlings!

[Sher]

Amazing!

I am intrigued by the Oasis cubes. I found 3 sheets for @ $30 on Amazon. That's just a little over a penny each.

I wonder how long they would last before they start to biodegrade.

[ERR0R1755]

Apr 20, 2021 20:00:34 GMT -5 Sher said:

Amazing!

I am intrigued by the Oasis cubes. I found 3 sheets for @ $30 on Amazon. That's just a little over a penny each.

I wonder how long they would last before they start to biodegrade.

They do seem like a good deal! They seem to be more sturdy than rockwool is, and as far as biodegradability goes, their testing showed 75% degradation after almost a year in a plastics biodigester, which is a very different environment than anything that plants would grow in.

I will be keeping an eye on the cubes to see how they do, but I am leaning towards using them as my new medium of choice if they hold up like I think they will.

[Sher]

I am considering it, too, instead of rockwool.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[ERR0R1755]

The lettuce has a new home! It also has 1ml of CALiMAGic and 4ml of nutes now.

[Sher]

It looks very happy!

[elainev]

What neat caps for a growing plant. Where did you get them? I'd love to have some.

[ERR0R1755]

Apr 28, 2021 7:59:50 GMT -5 elainev said:

What neat caps for a growing plant. Where did you get them? I'd love to have some.

I ordered them from a 3D printing company! You can see more pictures and everything you need (such as the 3D model download) in this thread.

[ERR0R1755]

[ERR0R1755]

[ERR0R1755]

[ERR0R1755]

I'm not a fan of those browning edges, I added 1ml of CALiMAGic to try and fix it.

I doubt if I remembered to add it at the beginning or not, even though I said I did.

[Sher]

May 20, 2021 22:16:39 GMT -5 ERR0R1755 said:

I doubt if I remembered to add it at the beginning or not, even though I said I did.

That's normal for my age.

It's hilarious for you if I'm close at guessing your age range!