The Lettuce Project update: day 3 and day 4. Signs of life?

Let's see now...so where were we? Or should we say - where are we now? Whatever.

Here is the day-by-day progress report, although readers might find it repetitive. Got up at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, to bring in the paper but couldn't avoid a check on what I hoped was progress to report. Uttered a lot of " hmmmmm's" and "uh-huh's"...and then changed the water. Why you may well ask, did I change the water? Seemed like a good idea. What happens, say, if lettuce prefers pure, clean, tap water as an incentive for growth? Didn't want to take any chances so 'L' - that's what I've named the lettuce to personalize our relationship - now has daily changes of water.

Sun. April 14: Actually, toying with the idea of adding photographic images of my stump with roots immersed in an inch of water in a plastic container, to the blog page. After further thought, took three photos of the aforementioned lettuce from different angles and my findings are that it looked the same from all angles and really didn't merit photos - yet.

Mon. April 15: Not sure if it's wishful thinking but just may have detected little white shoots growing on the side of the stump not immersed in water. Perhaps they could have been there all along and went unnoticed...however I'm believing they are a positive sign that things may be progressing. After glancing into the container, my husband asked me when am I going to throw L away.

"It's growing! Can't you tell?" I reacted, rushing over to point out what I believe to be teeny shoots.

"Looks like it's turning brown," he responded. "Time to throw it out. It's gonna smell."

"The roots look very healthy," I said, swishing them around in a circular motion with my fore-finger. "We have to give them a chance to send a message to the lettuce stump to grow."

"Here's my message to them. 'Grow or out you go'!

There is hope in my heart that tomorrow will be the turning point. Visions of soft green lettuce leaves in a delicious bowl of salad inspire me to keep going. Tomorrow L will receive a musical treat in the form of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, "Spring." Let's just hope the other plants don't get jealous.

The lettuce project: day one

First post of the season and the weather people are calling for snow and/or freezing rain. Then again,  given their accuracy rate, we'll wait to see if it materializes. Doesn't really matter one way or the other since I'm in a sort-of growing state of mind. This could be as a result of walking through a garden center and seeing fertilizer and related garden products out on display. Condo living has replaced my garden, which is most likely the reason for my growing itch.

Recently bought a hydroponically-grown Boston lettuce at a supermarket with a root system attached. I really like Boston lettuce in a salad but what attracted me was the large root wound around in a circle wrapped around the lettuce base to fit into a plastic top. The accompanying blurb on the top reads: "one fresh living lettuce", which got me thinking as to the possibilities of reproduction of the lettuce type. Decided to do an experiment.

After removing the leaves, cutting off the top and keeping a small piece of the core, I immersed the roots in water in a plastic container, covering the entire root system. I'm hoping that the end result down the line will result in new leaves if not an entire new lettuce (don't I wish!) . It's now sitting on the second shelf of my plant stand beneath my two house plants, which have primo space. After all, they've been there a lot longer but they could be displaced temporarily, if the need arises. Already I'm concerned that perhaps the water needs some type of fertilizer... Problems already...

I'm calling my undertaking: "the lettuce project" and will supply daily updates here as to the progress - if any. Having never grown a lettuce in this manner before, I'm open to suggestions and help from blog readers. That is, if anything happens. We'll have to see.