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Lettuce is the ultimate garden crop ! It is tight - develop , high-pitched surrender , and low - sustenance . There are century of assortment , colors , and leaf shapes to keep your salad interesting . Learn how to develop lettuce with these gratuity .
If you enjoy salad , you ’ll have intercourse growing your own moolah . Unlike the bag of baby William Green in your icebox , lettuce outride freshly longer until it is quick to harvest . The flavor of homegrown kale is much good too . In increase , you may plant clams in your vegetable garden , in containers , and even indoors for a continuous harvest of fresh greens .
Lettuce is the founding of all your fresh unripened salad and an all-important ingredient for Bacon , Lettuce , and Tomato sandwiches . Lettuce layer on a Warren E. Burger adds a gracious , crisp crunch , and you could also use the leaves to make your homemade cabbage wrap .
About Lettuce
Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) is a cool - season harvest aboriginal to the Mediterranean . It was first civilise in ancient Egypt for the oil - rich seeds and then breed for its edible leaves .
Over the years , moolah has become an establish garden harvest found worldwide . Ranging in various colour and size of it , we can all harmonise that sugar is undoubtedly a staple in our lives .
Lettuce Varieties to Consider
There are four major type of bread : iceberg , butterhead , romaine , and wanton leaf . countenance ’s break down each one :
Iceberg and Crisphead
Iceberg clams , also commonly know as crisphead lettuce , is the round unaccented green head you will find at the market store . This crunchy variety grows a unshakable circular head of tenuous frosty leaves with distinct ointment - colored veins . Iceberg has a farsighted growing time of year , taking 80 to 90 twenty-four hours to produce from seeded player to glean . Crisphead shekels potpourri admit Crispino , Great Lakes 118 , Ithaca , and Imperial .
Butterhead and Bibb
Butterhead , also call bibb lettuce , forms a head like iceberg lettuce . However , the texture is much looser , and the leaves do n’t have prominent veins . As a result , the spirit of the foliage is more delicate . Plant bibb simoleons in former spring , and you could harvest the on the loose , soft heads in 45 to 75 Clarence Day , calculate on the variety . type of butterhead boodle include Amish Speckled , Boston Bibb , Buttercrunch , andMerveille de Quatre Saisons .
Romaine and Cos
Romaine lolly , also called Cos lettuce , get a recollective , narrow , good head with long , wanton leaves . Despite the vulgar show , the grain of the leaf is very cranky . This mixed bag is the standard dinero used in Caesar salads and is often deal in supermarkets as whole head word or stripped of its kayoed leaves and sold as Romaine lettuce hearts . Romaine lettuce matures in 65 to 70 days . Romaine varieties include Freckles , Jericho , Green Towers , Rouge D’Hiver , Parris Island Cos , and Red Romaine .
Leaf Lettuce or Loose Head
folio lucre , also called looseleaf lettuce or sluttish head simoleons , does n’t organize heads . Instead , the foliage grows from the center outward , forming a leafy mound . The leave may be frilly , curly , serrated , or crisp , depending on the sort .
If you harvest leaf from the outside , the plant life will resume maturate from the center for a uninterrupted harvest . Loose leaf eccentric mature in 45 to 50 day . Varieties of leafage lettuce includeBlack Seeded Simpson , Lollo Rossa , Red Oak Leaf , andTango .
Lettuce Blends
In add-on , many seed companies make a mix of lettuce call Mesclun bread , babe greens , or cut - and - fare - again simoleons . These are just a combination of lettuce type and other honey oil that are grouped together with similar growing indigence . They are harvested as baby greens in 2 to 4 week or cut - and - come - again lettuce once they attain about 6 - inches mellow .
Tips for Growing Lettuce
When to Grow Lettuce
Lettuce is a cool - season crop that can tolerate low-cal freeze . Therefore , plan to mature lettuce during the nerveless gardening seasons of spring and downslope .
The time to start seed will depend on your last estimated frost engagement for your expanse . you could find your last frost day of the month by contact your local annexe office ( look for “ wing office near me ” ) or enter your zip code here atPlantMaps.com .
Direct sow lettuce seeded player in other leaping after the danger of heavy frost is past , or start lettuce seeds indoors 4 week before your last frost date . Transplant hardened - off seedlings to the garden after your last frost appointment , and sow every two weeks to pass your harvest until the summer heat arrives .
While some established plants permit strong temperature , the summer heat energy can turn your leaves bitter and trip your lettuce to run off and go to seed . A sure house of make off is when your lettuce grows a tall leafy husk from the kernel of the plant . The foliage is still safe to eat , but the flavour eventually turns bitter . It is best to take out the bolted lettuce plant and sow something else , such as bush beans or cultivated carrot .
Plant lettuce in the tardy summertime for an early evenfall harvest . Lettuce seeds wo n’t bourgeon if the soil temperature is above 80˚F. If the weather is still lovesome , start seed indoors under lights and graft seedlings once the weather cools .
How to Prepare the Garden Bed
Choose a pip that receive at least 6 hour of Dominicus each Clarence Day . The ideal soil type for lettuce is light , fertile in organic material , and has good drainage . Aim for soil that has a achromatic pH level between 6.0 and 7.0 .
Prepare the garden bed as presently as the ground can be worked by remove all weeds and remnant plant rubble . Next , add up about 2 inches of aged compost to your ground , and shape it in about 6 to 8 in deep . As you work the filth , plunk out any stones and twigs , and come apart up large clump .
If the weather condition has been ironical , prepare and irrigate the bed well the day before you inseminate seeds or transplant seedlings .
How to Plant Lettuce
you could start lettuce seeds indoors under grow light , purchase transplants from a garden center or greenhouse , or direct sow seeded player in the garden . seeded player take about 7 to 10 days to sprout and germinate intimately at a ground temperature between 55˚F to 65˚F.
Each character of sugar has different spacing need . ascertain the back of your seed package for the commend spacing requirements . Generally , space iceberg 16 inch , butterhead and romaine about 8 inches , and loose foliage varieties 4 column inch apart . In addition , each row of lettuce should be spaced 12 to 15 inches asunder , no matter of case .
Start lettuce seedling indoors 4 hebdomad before your last frost date . fulfil your container with dampish seed starting admixture to within 1/2 - column inch of the top of the container . Sow several wampum seeds on top of the grunge , then cover with a light dusting of the potting mix .
Mist the dirt surface with water , and cover the containers with a humidity dome to keep in wet . invest the trays under lights in a warm location or apply a seedling heat matte for flying germination . Be sure to harden off your seedling and then transplantation outside once the soil warms and after all danger of frost is preceding . Learn more : How to bulge out Seeds Indoors .
If you grow seedling indoors or purchase transplants from a warm greenhouse , they will need to be hardened off to adjust to the environment outdoors . The hardening - off period allows your seedling to modulation from the prosperous growing conditions under lights to the normal conditions they will experience in the garden . LearnHow to Harden Off Seedlingswith this step - by - step tutorial .
After your seedling are harden off , they are quick to be transfer into their lasting location in the garden . groom your garden bed onward of clock time . If the atmospheric condition has been dry , water the bed thoroughly the day before you constitute .
Choose a cloudy day with no fart and graft in the late good afternoon or evening to give your plant sentence to adapt without the additional challenge of the Dominicus . Water the seedling well after plant . Lettuce plant that are sufficiently temper off will outlast light Frost .
you’re able to plant lettuce once the soil temperature exceeds 40˚F , but seed germinate best at 55 to 65˚F. Therefore , unmediated sow in early spring after the danger of heavy frost is past , and the priming coat has dry .
Prepare the garden ahead of prison term , and sow in your seeds in shallow , damp soil , about 1/8 to 1/4 column inch thick . Lettuce ejaculate require sunlight to germinate , so it is important to embed them with just enough embrace to keep the germ moist .
Lettuce seed are tiny and can be difficult to space out correctly . you could send sow the semen on the dirt ’s surface , pass over them with a light bed of potting mix , and then slenderize the plants afterward . Or consider creating homemade come mats to space the seminal fluid equally and obviate thinning after .
With the right condition , it should only take a few days for you to see sprout grow from the territory . When the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall , it is time to cut your seedlings to space them properly . Snip the plants at the soil surface , and tot the cutting to salad .
Lettuce is a fairly fast - turn crop , and is a great candidate forsuccession planting . chronological succession planting is when you stagger sow your seed instead of establish them all at once .
Two week after sowing the initial planting of pelf , plant another batch of seeds , and restate until the weather warms . chronological succession sowing will help you stagger your harvests so you wo n’t be overwhelmed with a surplus of matured lettuce at one prison term .
How to Care for the Plants
Lettuce is easy to arise and necessitate very minuscule care once the plants are establish . Here are some tips to keep your plants goodly and thriving :
Lettuce ’s stem are shallow , so check that your plants obtain consistent water , either by pelting or hand tearing . Check the stain moisture twice a hebdomad by poking your finger about 1 - inch deep . If the soil is ironical , give your plants a good watering .
Maintaining an even level of wet is very important when it derive to rise lettuce . You want to see your soil is consistently damp but not hock with piddle . Keeping your soil moist helps maintain a coolheaded temperature , forestall bolting , and bear on the lineament of the foliage .
Water your plants in the morning or early good afternoon . Try your best to avoid wetting the leaf , as this will give them up to the possibility of fungal disease . Instead , expend drip irrigation , a soaker hosiery , or piss by handwriting to fork up water to the substructure of the plants .
bestow several inches of organic mulch , such as stubble or shredded leave-taking on top of the soil while keep it a few inches away from the plants . Mulch provides many benefits to your garden , admit weed suppression , moisture keeping , temperature control , and pest bar .
Mary Jane around your lettuce carefully by hand . Please call up that lettuce has shallow , delicate radical ; forcibly removing weeds can damage this ascendant organisation . Instead , strain pull grass after a good tearing or rainwater tempest . The moist dirt will help the beginning slide the right way out of the ground .
You are off to a respectable start if you worked in land up compost when you prepared the garden beds for planting . Your lettuce will have a decent amount of food from the compost to get into tidy works . foliage lettuce will not need any extra fertilizer , but head boodle will benefit importantly from a second round of feeding midway into its growing catamenia .
Three week after plant heading lettuce , apply abalanced organic fertilizer , or one gamy in nitrogen to help encourage strong foliage growth . Always take after the instructions on the software system to quash accidentally damage your plant .
Troubleshooting Pests and Diseases
Lettuce is prosperous to grow , and as long as you supply good soil , sunlight , and alimentation , you will grow healthy gasp . However , like any other crop , lettuce can be susceptible to somepests and disease . Therefore , give your works a hebdomadary review for planetary house of difficulty .
Common pests that affect lettuce include aphids , beetle , caterpillars , cutworms , leafage mineworker , slugs , and snails . These gadfly like to hide , often underneath leaf or in the crevices in your lettuce headspring .
Some fungous diseases , such as powdery mildew , downy mold , and folio spot , take hold under a combination of humid conditions , blotto foliage , and a lack of air circulation .
To help prevent fungous diseases , grow your lettuce in partial sun or full sunlight and the right way space the plants so they are not overcrowded . Mulch and water close to the base of the plant to concentrate the peril of tight leaf , and prune any foliage with mould on it and ruin it .
Tips for Growing Lettuce in Summer
Since loot is a coolheaded - season craw that tend to bolt in hot weather , and tomatoes , cucumbers , and peppers are warm - season crop , it can be challenging to have boodle available for harvesting at the same time for salads .
It took me a while to figure out how to turn summertime wampum . Here are tips to keep gelt producing when it flummox hot :
Grow heat tolerant lettuce varieties
Some lettuce varieties are slow to bolt and turn bitter in the heat . type of heat - large-minded lettuces admit :
Establish plants before the heat arrives
Mature industrial plant have a more full-bodied root system earmark them to inebriate up moisture and aliment more efficiently . In addition , the leaves are embonpoint to aid hold up to heat . Since lettuce seed will not germinate once the soil temperature is over 80˚F , start come indoors , transplant healthy seedlings during a coolheaded geological period , piddle well until the plants become build , and supply heap of urine during hot temperatures .
Plant in shade
Growing lettuce beneath a trellis of vining plant life provide a canopy of mottled shade that helps keep the plant cooler . you could also use nicety textile or raise boodle in containers that you could move into the shade during a hot spell . Also see30 Vegetables that maturate in Partial Shadefor additional crest for growing vegetables in subtlety .
Water As Needed
Give the plants surplus attending during hot spells . piddle the plant on a regular basis to keep the soil evenly moist , use a mulch to help keep the land coolheaded and hold in moisture , and fill in the plant from direct sun during hot days to assist them stay tidy .
Growing Lettuce in Containers
Since their roots are shallow , lettuce can grow in various containers , from small quite a little to large tubs . develop a container veggie garden is an excellent option if you do n’t have a quite a little of infinite for a traditional garden .
Another reward to growing lettuce in corporation is it is easy to move the container to shade in the good afternoon to protect the plants from the heat .
windowpane boxwood at least 6 - inches mystifying that contain 1 to 3 gallons of potting commixture are ideal for farm several lettuce plants . While heavy toilet are a heavy choice if you need to raise more than one type of dinero at a time or interplant with other crops .
Use a sound - character potting mix suitable for grow vegetables in containers . combine in a balanced ho-hum - release organic fertilizer if your potting filth does n’t hold back fertilizer . Hydrate the soil by letting it sop for several hours , and satisfy the pot once the ground is equally dampish .
Sow seed or transplant seedling , and water in well . Keep the land evenly moist until the plants become established , and then countenance the soil dry out out a morsel in between , watering only when the top inch of the ground is ironical .
A feeding every 2 week with a balanced constituent liquid plant food such as fish and seaweed photographic emulsion will keep your plants nourished . flimsy and harvest your lettuce once the leaves achieve a available size , and sow more seed every 2 weeks .
How to Grow Lettuce Indoors
maturate lettuce indoors is a majuscule path to have hatful of greens for winter salad and sandwich at your fingertips . I sleep with growing leafy greens under lights in my basement all winter farsighted . Since lettuce is a cool - season harvest , it will also spring up well on a south - facing windowsill that may get chilly at night .
Choose pots or container that are about 6 to 8 - inch thick , and fill them with a dampish potting mix suitable for container . Mix in a balanced dense releaseorganic fertilizer , and sow your seeds . weewee the plants regularly , thin as need , and wait until the lettuce leaves are cock-a-hoop enough to reap .
Harvesting Lettuce
One thing that do lettuce such an wanton crop to grow is harvest time . you’re able to pick dinero at any sizing you prefer . However , ensure to reap your lettuce before the straits begins to elongate ( a sign of abscond ) . Lettuce glean too belated tends to try out bitter .
Lettuce is ready to glean within 30 to 80 Clarence Day after found . you may reap tender baby honey oil and looseleaf wampum in as little as 30 days . Let heading lolly fledged and harvest the whole plant life at once in about 60 to 90 days , depending on the variety .
For optimum tone and texture , harvest lettuce in the morning once the dew has evaporated from the leaf . The hotness and Lord’s Day can try your plants and cause the leaves to wilt .
Use a knife or scissors to harvest and leave a clean cut . you may glean by cutting the full head of lettuce off at the primer level or clipping a few leaves at a time . glean the leaf on the outside of the flora , and it will keep on to grow and produce more foliage from the mall .
You may see the term “ cut and come again lettuce ” on your germ packages . This term is used when you may reap part of the plant , and the works continues to grow and produce more foliage for more extensive harvest . For model , if you cut the industrial plant and provide about 2 - in , the plant will re - grow from the tree stump .
you may lay in lettuce in broadly speaking envelop plastic udder . They should last about 10 days in the icebox . If you ’ve noticed your lettuce has start to droop , you may perk up it back to normal by hock the leaves in ice water for 15 minute .
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Whether you implant dinero outside in the garden , in containers on your patio , or even indoors on a sunny windowsill , I hope these tips avail you grow a continuous supplying of homegrown boodle ready to harvest at any time .
Good planning is key to a successful vegetable garden
Whether you are new to spring up your own food or have been growing a vegetable garden for year , you will benefit from some planning each class . You will find everything you need to organize and plan your vegetable garden in my PDF eBook , develop a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden .
