Baby greens

Hi! I'm brand new to growing most things and I have just planted a mesclun mix that I bought in a nursery flat as an experiment. I am accustomed to growing wheatgrass and you really load up on seeds for that. Well, wheat seeds are much bigger than greens seeds and I think I put down way too many seeds. Can anyone tell me what is the normal amount of seeds or spacing that should be used for baby greens like you get in the grocery store..ala the baby spinach leaves size? I've just read 1/2 an inch spacing per plant and I believe I've put down about 800 seeds in my little tray so it might be micro greens for me this time??? LOL. Additionally, I want to grow the greens in litter box containers as I have 4 of them that haven't been used. Is the depth of a litter box, 4.5", ok for baby or full grown lettuce/spinach/mesclun or do I need a deeper container. Keeping them watered is no problem. All my growing has to be in containers though, and will never be transplanted outside.

Thanks for any help as I am a doofus. : -)

I've posted this already in the vegetable gardening forum..and then noticed this beginner one so I hope the cross post is ok!

Howdy, gloryglory....

The depth of the litter boxes will most likely work for the mini-greens, and even full-size spinach plants. Full size lettuce plants will need a container of about 6-8 inches deep to support them.

As for sowing your seeds to closely, you can always thin them out and replant them elsewhere (or thin and eat!).

Hope this helps!
Happy Growing!

Shoe

Thanks Horseshoe!

I'll have to go search out some 6-8 inch deep long containers. Hmmm...well, I'll find something.

Thinning out and replanting scares the bejesus outta me! LOL. Thinning out and eating will probably be what happens regardless of whether I'm trying to replant them. Gonna hafta work on my hand coordination I think. : -)

You're mighty welcome.

And by the way, don't be scared of thinning/transplanting...many plants are very "easy-going" when it comes to transplanting them. You can do it!

By the way, those big tupperware-type storage bins would give you the depth you need plus they are fairly inexpensive. (Walmart has them for around 3-5 bucks, including lids! (The lids can be used as trays underneath the container to help keep water from draining all over your floor.)

Hope you check back in and let us know how your garden is doing!

Shoe.

I'll look at the plastic bins and see what I can come up with, thanks!

The greens (it's a mesclun mix and I don't really know what's in it) already started sprouting last night! I'd just planted them on Sunday, so that was pretty shocking how fast they came up. I am so getting a kick out of seeing them pop up out of the soil. Truly wondrous!

My "Lettuce Babies" have emerged as well :). Can they take full sun all day, or should they be shaded for part of the day? I've never grown lettuce before, but with all the problems withsupermarket greens, I figured, why not?
Thanks,
Margo