{"id":2308,"date":"2019-06-06T09:18:14","date_gmt":"2019-06-06T09:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/?p=2308"},"modified":"2020-01-22T08:57:51","modified_gmt":"2020-01-22T08:57:51","slug":"15-gardener-insights-on-growing-lettuce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/15-gardener-insights-on-growing-lettuce\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Gardener Insights on Growing Lettuce"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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If you are new to gardening and looking for some simple vegetables to grow, lettuce should be at the top of your list right along with the tomato. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing lettuce is very easy as it does not take up very much space and can even be grown along with your flowers. This vegetable will grow for many weeks throughout the mild weather during the spring and the fall months. You can easily tuck in some leaf lettuce between other types of taller vegetables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lettuce is also easy to grow in some containers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to flavor and vitamin content, homegrown lettuce is superior to the type that you purchase at your local grocery store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take the time and have a little bit of patience, you will be greatly rewarded by your efforts as you will have fresh lettuce to use in salads and other dishes all growing season long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Preparing the Soil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are ready to plant some lettuce seeds or transplants in your garden one of the most important things that you will need to do is to prepare the soil. The soil that you are going to plant your lettuce in needs to be quite loose and it also needs to be able to drain well. The soil should be able to stay moist without becoming too soggy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to keep the soil fertile you will want to make sure that you add in some composted materials or manure about a week before you plan on planting your lettuce seeds or lettuce transplants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the lettuce seed is very tiny it is important to make sure that the garden bed has been well tilled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Large clods of dirt and stone will inhibit the germination of the seeds. Take the time to make sure all of these types of things are removed from the soil before you start the planting process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Direct Sowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to planting lettuce the best way is through direct sowing. This should be completed as soon as the ground is soft enough to be worked around. You should sow rows and then plant the lettuce seeds about a half-inch deep inside the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snow is not going to hurt the lettuce seeds. However, a cold wind can hurt your plants. If you are looking for an early crop of lettuce you will want to start seeds indoors about four to six weeks before the last predicted frost for your area. You should then harden the seedlings outdoors for a few hours each day for about a week before you plant them in the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can transplant your seedlings into the ground anywhere from two weeks before the last spring frost up to two weeks after the last spring frost. As mentioned, lettuce can withstand cold ground temperatures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Planting Different Types of Lettuce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are planting your lettuce seeds or seedlings you will want to sow the seeds into single rows. You can also broadcast the seeds for wider planting rows. If you choose to broadcast you will have to thin out the lettuce for appropriate spacing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaf lettuce should be planted about four inches apart. Any type of cos or loose headed types of lettuce will need to be planted about eight inches apart. A firm headed type of lettuce should be planted roughly sixteen inches apart. The rows of lettuce plants need to be about a foot or just over a foot apart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have placed the seeds in the ground you will want to cover them with about a quarter of an inch to a half-inch of dirt. Once you have transplanted your seedlings or planted your seeds, make sure that you water the garden bed thoroughly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Shared Beds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are planting any type of vegetable or fruit, it is typically best to plant other types of vegetables around them. There are some types of plants that grow really well together and other types of plants that will not grow together at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to your lettuce crop you are going to want to plant some type of herb next to the rows of lettuce. Garlic or chives are two of the best plants to grow with your lettuce. The reason for this is because both garlic and chives will help to control aphids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aphids can be detrimental to your lettuce crop, so keeping these pests under control is very important. The garlic and the chives will act as a barrier plant for the lettuce and will help it grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not to mention that when you are growing garlic and chives you are adding a couple of great herbs to your garden that you can use throughout the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Fertilization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Growing lettuce will require soil that has a high amount of nutrients. The soil needs to have a high amount of organic material. You should consider adding compost to your lettuce bed on a regular basis. It is also important to make sure that you are providing the lettuce with a steady supply of nitrogen. This will help to keep it growing fast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A slow-release fertilizer or organic alfalfa meal can help to keep your lettuce crops growing and healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also important to make sure that you keep your lettuce bed free of weeds. You will need to weed the soil regularly to ensure that the weeds are not taking any nutrients away from the lettuce that you are growing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you take these steps to ensure that the soil is full of nutrients you are going to end up with a great crop of lettuce to enjoy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Watering<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The soil that you plant your lettuce in will need to be and remain moist. Lettuce requires a lot of water in order to grow. However, it is important to make sure that you also make sure that the garden is well-drained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nice thing about growing lettuce is that it is going to tell you when it is needing water. All you have to do is look over the lettuce. If the leaves are starting to wilt, sprinkle some water over them. You can do this even during the hottest part of the day. This will help to cool the lettuce plants off and also slow down the transpiration rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organic mulch can also help conserve moisture and will also suppress weeds. The mulch will also keep the temperature of the soil cool during the months that are a bit warmer. Proper watering of your lettuce will ensure that your crop does not dry out and rot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Planning your Garden<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are planning out your garden it is a good idea to consider where all of your vegetables are going to be planted. As mentioned, there are some types of plants that grow better together than others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lettuce is considered to be a cold-weather plant. This means that it does not do well with a lot of heat or direct sunlight. Too much sun can actually cause the lettuce plant to bolt and turn to seed. For this reason, when you are planning out your garden it is a good idea to plant your lettuce near some taller plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweet corn and tomatoes are great plants to grow near your lettuce plants. These taller plants will help to provide your lettuce with some much-needed shade, especially during those hot summer months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting your lettuce near these plants can help to ensure that you have a great crop of many wonderful vegetables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Harvesting Lettuce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The best time to harvest your lettuce is when it has grown to full size, but before it matures. The leaves of the lettuce will taste best when they are still tender and young. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the lettuce matures you will be able to harvest the leaf lettuce by removing all of the outer leaves. You should leave the center as this will allow the leaves to continue growing. You can harvest as many leaves as you want to enjoy and then leave the rest to grow throughout the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romaine or butterhead types of lettuce can be harvested by either just removing the outer leaves or digging up the entire plant. You can also cut the plant about an inch over the soil surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you let the lettuce mature it will taste a bit woody and bitter and it goes bad quickly, which is why it is important to check your lettuce each day for leaves that are ready to harvest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Storing Lettuce
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When it comes time to store your lettuce after harvest, we recommend that you wash it and store it in the vegetable crisper in the fridge. Most salad greens consist primarily of water, making it unsuitable for long-term storage. If you try freezing lettuce, you’ll find it goes limp on thawing and loses its texture.
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While the fridge keeps things fresh, lettuce does not last very long. We recommend that you eat the plants you harvest on the same day, or store them in the fridge and consume within 5-days. This strategy allows you to enjoy your lettuce without having to throw it out.
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Take these storage tips to mind when planting your crop. Unless you intend on giving your neighborhood some free lettuce, then only plant what you can eat, and don’t waste your lettuce seeds on growing plants you will have to throw away. It’s vital that you wash your lettuce before placing it in the crisper, as hidden slugs or bugs may devour your harvest, inducing rot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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10. Crop Rotation in Your Garden
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The chances are that you will be growing lettuce alongside other veggies in your garden. While raising a veggie garden is a remarkably satisfying experience, especially after harvest, it’s crucial that you understand the principles of crop management.
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Some vegetables, like tomatoes, potatoes, and strawberries rapidly deplete nutrients from the soil during their lifecycle. You may find that your soil develops nutrient deficiencies in critical minerals, such as iron. While fertilizing and over-wintering your soil to replace the nutrients is an excellent idea, it’s also important to remember where you planted your crops.
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Some veggies and fruits leave pathogens in the ground after harvest, resulting in the development of bacterial and fungal diseases on your lettuce. Keep lettuce away from other regions of the garden to ensure that you produce a healthy crop.
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Till the soil in your garden after harvesting the last of your produce. Add fertilizers and mulch, and then leave your garden to rest over the winter season. Resting the ground helps to remineralize the earth while killing the deadly pathogens that may cause disease in your next crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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11. Dealing with Pests
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There’s nothing worse than going out to your veggie garden on harvest day, to find that your lettuce is now a tasty snack for slugs or other garden pests. Insects and slugs love feeding on lettuce, due to its water and high nutrient content.
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Slugs are mostly an issue when lettuce is young. To get rid of slugs in the garden, don’t use dangerous pesticides, opt for salt instead. Salt does not affect the growth of your plants, and it’s a slugs worst enemy. In between your watering sessions, place a circle of kosher salt grains around the base of the plant, 6-inches away from the stem of the lettuce.
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This strategy prevents slugs from wandering onto your lettuce, but what do you do about the rest of the flying and crawling insects that want to eat your crops? Purchase some raw, untreated tobacco from your grocery store.
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Soak the tobacco in water for a few hours, then add it to a spray bottle. Spray your plants every morning before the sun gets hot, and the tobacco juice will prevent bugs from infesting your lettuce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12. Diseases Affecting Lettuce Crops
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Bugs and slugs are your garden’s natural enemy, but cases of bacterial and fungal disease also present a severe threat to your lettuce as well. The disease affects the growth rate of your plants, stunting the development while making the plant inedible.
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Fungal disease is very challenging to remove from your garden, and many hobbyists lose the entire crop to diseases like powdery mildew. There are a variety of reasons as to why your plants develop signs of fungal infection. However, the most common reason for the development of these pathogens \u2013 is not rotating crops.
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Never grow lettuce in the same bed two years in a row, and always remineralize the soil after each season to prevent the diseases occurring the following year. Check on your lettuce every morning to ensure that none of the plant’s leaves are touching the ground. Leaves that lay on the ground may cause the development of rot, which starts at the base of the plant, ruining the produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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13. Companion Planting
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The chances are that you are growing lettuce to add to fresh salads. However, lettuce on its own won’t make for an attractive or colorful salad bowl. Fortunately, you can plant companion vegetables around your lettuce to give your garden, and your salad bowl, more variety.
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Try planting these companion veggies and herbs next to your lettuce. Most of these plants finish at about the same time as your lettuce, allowing you to pull a fresh bowl of salad from your garden, that tastes fantastic.
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Rocket, also known as astragalus, is a wonderful herb to add to any salad. The young leaves feature a noticeable peppery taste that combines well with other salad greens and feta cheese.
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Salad burnet is another welcome addition to any meal. This low-growing perennial feature leaves that take on the appearance of ferns, and they have a cucumber-style flavor that makes burnet an ideal addition to any fresh garden salad.
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14. Succession Planting
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Fortunately, lettuce is an ideal salad vegetable that’s suitable for succession planting. Sow new seeds every two weeks, and you’ll always have fresh lettuce growing in your garden. Crop rotation is not as vital during succession planting, as the ground will still have plenty of nutrients available to spur growth on the new lettuce seeds.
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We recommend you start the growing season in the late fall, planting the colder varieties. As the weather warms up and the summer starts, switch to more heat-tolerant species of lettuce that suit warmer climates. If you do grow lettuce in a hot environment, remember to water them every morning.
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If you live in a region of the United States that experiences hot summers, then you may need to stop growing lettuce during the warmer months, and then plant again during the early fall. If you live in a colder climate, you can get away with growing lettuce throughout the summer, with no issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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15. Final Top Tips for Growing Lettuce
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We have three final tips that will help you get the most out of your garden, resulting in the best organic lettuce crops in the country.
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Bacterial Balance \u2013 While many people understand the importance of soil pH, watering, and fertilizer, few gardeners understand the vital role of bacteria in the soil. Bacteria supports the optimal growth of your plants, helping the roots take while enhancing nutrient absorption. Increasing the presence of live beneficial bacteria in your soil will increase crop yields as well.
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Raised Beds \u2013 Plant your seedlings in raised beds. This strategy keeps them off of the cold ground, allowing seedlings to mature faster. The raised bed will warm up more quickly than the ground. This strategy will enable you to plant a second round of lettuce in the late fall.
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Tucking \u2013 Start seedlings indoors, and transfer them to the garden when you harvest, or when pulling a damaged plant. This strategy allows you to leave your garden in a perpetual state of production throughout the growing season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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