How to grow Lettuce
How to grow Lettuce - Description
Lettuce are a vegetable that grow best in cooler climates and there are many varieties that are ideally suited to the British climate.
They also like lots of rain, so keep them moist by watering regularly.
Pests and diseases will also have an effect, they may not be killed off but they will be severely reduced in vigour.
If you sow lettuce seed all at once the plants will mature all at the same time and you will have approximately one week to pick them before they begin going to seed.
A major reason for failure when growing lettuce is that they are not grown quickly enough, the leaves become tough and leathery.
It is important to ensure that the soil has adequate humous incorporated - that means organic content and the soil must be kept moist at all times, but not dripping wet.
All forms of lettuce thrive in cooler weather, with moderate moisture.
Lettuce does not like mid-summer heat, or dry conditions.
Many gardeners will plant a crop for spring and early summer harvest, leaving the mid summer months to the tomatoes and the corn.
Then, as the late summer heat begins to wane, they plant a new lettuce crop for an autumn harvest.
How to grow Lettuce - Crop Rotation
Lettuce is a member of the Daisy Family, and it is recommended that it should not be grown in the same soil as other family members for at least three years.
How to grow Lettuce - Soil Preparation
Lettuce plants require a rich, humous-laden soil that will hold moisture in the summer.
They may require the soil to have lime added as a soil pH of 6.5 is just right - test your soil - but don`t be too rigid.
Quite often though, lettuce is grown between rows of slower growing plants like brussel sprouts or broccoli etc. This is called a `catch crop`.
Lettuce plants do not like hot sunny conditions, a good tip when learning how to grow lettuce properly is to choose a lightly shaded site for your summer varieties.
Dig the soil and apply compost during the autumn or early winter.
A week or so before sowing your lettuce seeds rake the soil over to produce a fine tilth and apply a general fertiliser like Growmore.
How to grow Lettuce - Sowing Seed
Growing lettuces from seed on a window sill or in a greenhouse is easier than starting them off in the garden. That way they don’t have to compete with weed seeds and the slugs can’t get them.
As long as you remember to keep them damp and check that they are not too hot or chilly, they can get off to a flying start.
You also need to avoid over-crowding - sow scatter the seed thinly.
If you do start them inside be sure to harden them off by exposing them to the outside conditions a few hours a day for several days ahead of planting, or use a coldframe.
Use a seed tray which is deep enough to carry at least 3 cm of soil or more and fill it nearly to the brim with compost. Leave about 1 cm gap between the top of the container and the compost.
The best compost to use is seed compost but ordinary multi-purpose compost will do. I usually use peat-free composts these days as they are much more environmentally friendly. This is available in most garden centres.
Peat-free composts tend to be a bit more expensive and can be tricky to work with, especially for seedlings. But they are far more eco-friendly than peat based products because peat comes from irreplaceable peat bogs which are often home to rare birds, flowers and other wildlife.
Non peat composts are improving all the time, too, so there is really no real reason to keep on using peat-based ones.
You can also use your own homemade compost or even carefully sieved soil. You will find it much harder to avoid competing weed seeds if you go down this route. For the sake of the price of a bag of seed compost for your seedlings, I believe it's far less trouble to use a professional product.
Scatter the seeds across the surface of the compost. The easiest way to do this is to take a pinch of seeds between thumb and forefinger and sprinkle them much as you would sprinkle salt on food. (Gently, though - you don't want to break them!)
Remember to sow thinly for best results; over-crowded seedlings will have to fight for space and light as they grow and may succumb to fungal infection ("damping off").
Cover the seeds with a thin layer of compost. Firm the compost down gently. If the compost is not damp already, then water it thoroughly, but not so much that it is sopping wet - the seeds will rot in conditions that are too wet.
Now cover your seed tray with cling film or even just with paper. Put the seed tray where it can drain freely.
Check every day to see whether the seeds have germinated and to make sure the compost is still damp. Cling–film is wonderful for helping to keep moisture in. It isn't the most eco-friendly stuff though, so you might want to recycle old discarded plastic wrappers or even use paper.
Water as needed with a fine spray or carefully dribble water on around the emerging seedlings. Once the seedlings are big enough to touch the cling-film or plastic it is time to take it off. If you used paper, take it off as soon as a few seedlings are showing.
How to grow Lettuce - Planting Out
If you are direct seeding in the garden (not really recommended for head lettuce), since the seeds are small, plant them 3/8 to 1/2 inch deep, and cover with a fine soil.
The spacing varies with the variety, leaf lettuce can be thinned to about 8 inches part, but crisphead needs to be spaced about 12-14 inches apart.
When transplanting lettuce in hot weather, place some form of sun shade over the plant for a couple of days. Any makeshift shade will do.
How to grow Lettuce - Cultivation
The key to growing crisp, sweet lettuce, is to get it growing at a fast pace.
That means plenty of water, and a healthy dose of fertilizer.
Lettuce will wilt and rot in hot, humid weather.
The plant will also bolt or go to seed stage in higher heat.
Heading or bunching types are more susceptible to rotting and bolting.
Leaf types grow and mature quickly, and have fewer disease problems.
How to grow Lettuce - Harvesting
Pick lettuces as soon as it is big enough to use.
On loose-headed varieties, the outer leaves can be picked and the inner leaves allowed to grow.
Or, use the plants pulled while thinning.
Use a sharp knife or scissors.
Loose leaf varieties will grow back after cutting.
How to grow Lettuce - Storing & Preserving
To store lettuce, wash, drip dry and place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Lettuce keeps best at 0°C (32°F) and high (96%) humidity.
