Could we add a new "characteristic" to the "Lettuces" database, input by radio button so it's more easily filtered while searching? "Lettuce Type"?

- Looseleaf (var. crispa)
- Loose head or Butterhead (Buttercrunch, Bibb or Boston).
- Romaine (var.longfolia)
- Iceberg (var. capitata).
- other?

I see that Johnny's Seeds lists these each as a separate category:

Leaf
Oakleaf
Butterhead
Bibb (example varieties 'Buttercrunch' & 'Deer Tongue')
Romaine / Cos
Lollo
Iceberg
"Summer Crisp" (example variety 'Nevada') Someone else calls this "French Crisp / Batavia type".

I was trying to find a certain lettuce variety, to see if "Sergeant" was already in the database. Now I know to go to
the "Lettuces" database and use the "search by cultivar name".

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa 'Sergeant')

But I might have wanted to browse by "type".

Another possible "lettuce characteristic" might be leaf color (dark green, green, light green, green with red edge, red). Or maybe just "green" and "red".

.

P.S.

How can we propose added or changed "characteristics" for a Parent Plant page?

Lettuces:

Uses: check "salad greens"
Check BOTH "full sun" and "Full Sun to Partial Shade"

"Propagation, Seeds, Days to germinate" : 2-15.

"Propagation, Seeds, Sowing depth: "
1/8" deep (or 1/8" to 1/4" deep?)


"Propagation, Seeds"
"Needs specific temperature" or "other"
Optimum germination 60F to 75F. (or 40F to 75F. It's slower below 65F)

(one source said "needs light to germinate" but I question that.

Under "Propagation, Seeds, Other":
Lettuce almost never cross-pollinates, it has perfect, self-pollinating flowers.

I would like to add "Most lettuces are cool-season crops only." Maybe that could be a new "Miscellaneous" check box?

Doesn't "full sun to partial shade" cover "full sun"? Why would you want both of the boxes checked?

I always interpreted "two boxes checked" as a difference of opinion. For example, "full sun" is checked now, but I see "full sun or partial shade" on some seed packets,

For example, often I'll see a variety of heights listed for the same variety ... but maybe that was in some other database.

Every data point or informational text filled in, on the parent plant page should be applicable to every plant affected. So if "Full Sun or part shade" is correct for some but not others, I don't think that should be checked at all. Same applies to "Full sun"..

That was another database. You won't see more than one height here, unless you mean a height range, such as 12-24 inches.

I've never thought of "two boxes checked" as a difference of opinion. It seems to me that we should strive to check only one box in most of these data categories. Any difference of opinion could then be noted in a comment. I grow a lot of plants that are supposed to be grown in full sun and only in zones up to 8, for instance, but I grow them in the shade in zone 9. That doesn't change the standard instructions for growing the plant, however, and I can always add my experience to the database in the form of a plant comment.

>> So if "Full Sun or part shade" is correct for some but not others, I don't think that should be checked at all. Same applies to "Full sun"..

>> we should strive to check only one box

OK, then I wouldn't want to make that change without more experienced lettuce-growers expressing an opinion. Right now "full sun" is applied to every lettuce, although I'm pretty sure that many varieties do well in part shade ... especially in areas where the cool part of spring is short.


I would still like to make these changes to the Lettuce Parent Plant, but I don't see a way to edit the 'data details" for the Parent Plant page.:

1. Uses: check "salad greens"

2. "Propagation, Seeds, Days to germinate" : 2-15.

3. "Propagation, Seeds, Sowing depth: " 1/8" deep

4. "Propagation, Seeds" | "Needs specific temperature"
Optimum germination 40F to 75F. Faster at 60F to 70F.

5. Under "Propagation, Seeds, Other":
Lettuce almost never cross-pollinates. It has "perfect" flowers and usually self-pollinizes before opening.

6. Other comments
I would like to add "Most lettuces are cool-season crops only."

I have made the change you proposed, Rick, but I did not change the full sun because I'm not sure what the consensus was on that one. Also, the "Other comments" field doesn't exist.

Now as for the Lettuce Type, I will add that now and post again when it's ready.

The lettuce type options have been added!

Thank you! That's great. I'll fill in some "types"!

I had some fun, but then I had to go back to my day job.

Was it intentional to leave out any filed for "days to maturity"? Like because it's so subjective?

Boy, there are MANY types of lettuce!

P.S. Thanks for the reminder NOT to copy-paste from other sites. I still get information online, but now I always reword it.

Would you consider adding another type to the "Lettuce Type" field? Your choice of
Batavian, Summercrisp or French Crisp.

I've been using the "Other" option to enter this type, using all three synonyms. I haven't been able to narrow it down to one synonym that's more widely used than other synonyms.

Unfortunately, I was not consistent in my use of commas and spaces:

Batavian, Summercrisp or French Crisp
Batavian, Summercrisp or French Crisp
Batavian, Summercrisp, or French Crisp
Batavian, Summercrisp, French Crisp
Batavian

Batavian has been added.

Thank you! I'll submit requests to change the mish-mash of "other" Batavian types to the radio button. I think I should be able to find them by Searching.

BTW, I'm several weeks away from asking for this next thing "for real", but how easy would it be for you to generate a list of all Lettuces where the "Type" is blank?
(I.E., none of the radio buttons are checked.)

I'd like to go through them and put a "Type" on all I can find definite types for.

Here is your report, Rick:

http://garden.org/plants/manag...

Thanks very much! 306 out of 430.

I wonder by how much I can reduce that 306? I probably won't be able to find some, or find contradictory info. It certainly gives me a hobby!

I was planning to look up and add or update 27 from Baker Creek, but this sounds like more fun.

I don't know how many people have taken interest in a thread named "Lettuce Databox" and have read what you're doing, Rick, but I wish people would follow your example and "adopt" a certain section of the database, filling in all of the entries with all of the information they can find.