How Tall Should I Let Lettuce Grow?

Click Play to Learn How to Grow and Harvest Lettuce

Common Name	Lettuce, garden lettuce
Plant Type	Annual, vegetable
Size	6–12 in. tall and wide
Sun Exposure	Full sun, partial sun
Soil Type	Loamy, rich, well-drained

What happens if you let lettuce grow too long?

ANSWER: Lettuce plants that suddenly start stretching toward the sky and growing extra tall are likely to be bolting. In the bolting stage, a plant stops focusing so much on producing foliage and starts to turn its attention toward reproduction, sending out a flower stalk that will eventually dry to release seeds.

How tall should lettuce be before thinning?

4 to 8 inches
Head lettuce: 18 to 24 inches. Leaf lettuce: 4 to 8 inches. Onions: 3 to 5 inches. Parsnips: 3 to 6 inches.

How do you know when lettuce is done growing?

As your plants grow, look for signs of maturity, usually that the head feels firm and filled out. In spring, harvest before the weather becomes too hot, usually when temperatures reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Warm temperatures can make the lettuce head mushy and the leaves taste bitter.

Why is my lettuce getting so tall?

Most lettuce varieties are cool season crops. When the hot weather comes, they send up tall stalks that will flower and set seed. You’ll notice that the leaves begin to taste bitter around the same time the stalks elongate. This is called bolting.

How do you increase the yield of lettuce?

Use a High Yield Photoperiod to Increase Lettuce Production by 40 Percent. {Sponsored} Daily Light Integral (DLI) is a commonly used metric to describe the amount of light a plant receives in a day. It is well-established that an increase in DLI generally correlates with an increase in crop growth, quality, and yield.

Should I cut the flowers off my lettuce?

When plants flower, it’s generally considered a good thing; however, in vegetables grown for their leaves, such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and other cole crops, bolting causes the flavor to turn bitter and the leaves to get smaller and tougher, making them inedible.

Does lettuce grow back every year?

Lettuce regrows once its leaves have been cut or picked off the main stem. As long as the root is intact in the ground and there are at least 1-2 inches of stem and leaves at the base, lettuce will shoot new growth in as little as a week. The cut-and-come-again harvesting method is the most popular.

How do I stop my lettuce from bolting?

Give your lettuce a break from full sun. Grow pots of lettuce on a porch or patio that gets some shade, plant it in the garden under taller plants, like corn, or use a shade cloth over your lettuce bed. Regular watering can also help delay bolting.

What happens if you don’t thin lettuce seedlings?

When left un-thinned, seedlings that are in tight quarters will compete with one another for nutrients, water, air, and root space. Those are not things you want to deprive your seedlings of! In addition to concerns about competition, crowding seedlings also increases the risk for disease.

Do I need to thin out my lettuce plants?

Thinning your plants gives them space to grow to larger leaves and dense hearts. It also reduces competition between the plants for resources and improves air circulation. Aim to thin leaves when the soil is damp, as they’ll be easier to pull.

How many times can you regrow lettuce?

So, as long as you’re staying within their optimal growing conditions, you can harvest from lettuce at least three or four times each.

When should you pick lettuce?

Once leaves begin to appear and they are about 4 inches (10 cm.) long, you can begin harvesting leaf lettuce. Simply snip either single outer leaves or grab a bunch of them and cut them with shears or scissors an inch (2.5 cm.) above the crown of the plant.

Does lettuce get bitter the longer it grows?

Lettuce needs to grow fast. Without proper nutrients, growth becomes stunted and bitter tasting lettuce is the result.

What is the best fertilizer for lettuce?

Feed lettuce plants every two weeks with a balanced water soluble or granular fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 or a 5-5-5, diluted to half strength. Look for a fertilizer in which the three numbers separated by hyphens are equal or almost equal.

How do you harvest lettuce without killing the plant?

To harvest head lettuce without killing the plant, use a sterilized gardening knife or shears. Cut the plant at the base of its stem, and make sure you cut the leaf a minimum of one inch above the soil, without damaging the roots. Keep watering the stem, and in another 50-60 days, you should have another lettuce.

How much water does a lettuce plant need?

Lettuce has shallow roots, so plants need consistent watering. Check at least twice a week and water if the soil is dry down to 1 inch deep. Containers of lettuce need to be watered more frequently than garden beds, especially in the summer.

Do lettuce plants keep producing?

Lettuce plants will continue to produce new leaves until the plant begins to flower and make new seeds. When mature plants begin to set lettuce seed like this it is called “bolting” in gardening circles. When you see this happening — a sturdy seed stalk will emerge from the center of the plant — stop harvesting.

Can you plant lettuce twice?

Here are four techniques that can help you grow twice the food in the same amount of space — no matter where you garden. Pull Some, Plant Some. As soon as plants — such as lettuce, spinach and peas — have passed their prime, pull them out and replant.

Will lettuce regrow after bolting?

A: Bolted lettuce, when cut down to its base will regrow under the right conditions. If summer is too hot, the entire plant may die, but in cooler temperatures, it may resprout and continue to produce.

Can you reverse bolting?

Occasionally, if you catch a plant in the very early stages of bolting, you can temporarily reverse the process of bolting by snipping off the flowers and flower buds. In some plants, like basil, the plant will resume producing leaves and will stop bolting.