You can grow lettuce throughout the summer without bolting with a little knowledge and a tiny bit of preparation. Imagine serving your own fresh-harvested, garden-grown lettuce throughout the summer!
What is the best lettuce to grow in the summer?
Heat-tolerant lettuces:
- ‘Ice Queen (Reine des Glaces)’ (Summer Crisp)
- ‘Little Gem’ (Romaine)
- ‘Marvel of Four Season’ (Butterhead)
- ‘New Red Fire’ (Leaf Lettuce)
- ‘Parris Island’ Cos (Romaine)
- ‘Red Sails (Leaf Lettuce)
- ‘Rouge d’ Hiver’ (Romaine)
- Salad Bowl Blend (Leaf Lettuce)
Can you grow lettuce and spinach in the summer?
Success in growing spinach in summer will vary depending upon climate. Those with cool summer temperatures may have moderate luck. Growers attempting to grow during the hotter months of the year; however, should look for summer spinach varieties. These cultivars may be labeled as “slow bolt” or heat tolerant spinach.
Which lettuce can tolerate heat?
Loose leaf lettuces are nutritious and heat tolerant. Plus, they are more forgiving of poor soil and imperfect growing conditions, making them easy to grow. Green Star, Magenta, Bronze Arrow Lose Leaf, Red Salad Bowl Oakleaf and Oakleaf Looseleaf Lettuce are all heat tolerant varieties that do well in late summer.
What temp kills lettuce?
If the air is moist enough, freezing in this range might also involve frost, but it’s not a given. Lettuce may cope with light freezing and even one or two hard freezes, but once the thermometer reads 25°F or below, the plants are in danger.
What month is best to plant lettuce?
Lettuce is a cool weather crop and is best grown in spring and fall. The seeds germinate in temperatures as low as 40 F (4 C) but its ideal germination and growing temperature is between 60 and 65 F (16 to 18 C).
Does lettuce need a lot of water?
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.
Where does lettuce grow best?
full sun
The ideal lettuce growing location for spring and fall is in a spot that receives full sun. If you plan on growing lettuce during the summer or in warm planting zones, partial shade can provide protection from the heat.
Is it too late to plant lettuce in July?
Summer varieties of lettuce will do great in July and August and seeds can be planted directly in the garden. Just be sure to keep the seeds moist till they germinate and get established. Most summer lettuce varieties resist bolting and tip burn.
What vegetables are best to grow in summer?
9 best vegetables to plant for summer harvest
- Sweet Corn. Don’t you just love eating fresh sweet corn straight from the garden?
- Capsicum. Capsicum love warm weather to activate fruiting.
- Tomatoes. Tomatoes are a summer favourite.
- Warm weather herbs.
- Pumpkin.
- Cucumber.
- Summer squash.
- Ginger.
What greens can be grown in summer?
14 greens you can grow in the summer in hot climates
- Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) leaves. Sweet ‘taters!
- Squash leaves (preferably winter squash)
- Okra leaves.
- Tradescantia.
- Amaranth & Quinoa.
- Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
- Jewels of Opar (Talinum paniculatum)
- Malabar spinach (Basella alba)
How do you protect lettuce from heat?
Keep Lettuce Plants Well-Watered
Water evaporating from the soil provides natural cooling. Water your lettuce plants every day—and even more often if it is extremely hot and dry. The lettuce leaves are comprised mostly of water and will desiccate and wilt in strong sunlight and dry soil.
How hot is too hot for spinach?
Optimum growing temperature is 50⁰ F to 60⁰ F, but young seedlings can tolerate temperatures as low as 15⁰ F to 20⁰ F. Try to keep the soil consistently moist because spinach will bolt if the soil dries out. When spinach bolts, it sends up a strong central stem to produce seed, and it becomes bitter and inedible.
What leafy greens are heat tolerant?
Heat Tolerant Greens to Try This Summer
- Perpetual Spinach (Leaf Beet Chard)
- Jericho Romaine Lettuce.
- Red Malabar Summer Spinach.
- Speckled Bibb Lettuce.
What vegetables are heat tolerant?
15 Top Veggies to Grow in the Heat
- Sweet Potatoes. Sweet Potatoes grow well in summer and produce abundantly in as little as 90 days.
- Southern Peas. Southern Peas, also known as cowpeas are wonderfully versatile.
- Yard Long Beans.
- Hot Peppers.
- Green Beans.
- Okra.
- Zucchini Squash.
- Sunflowers.
Does lettuce need a lot of sun?
Soil, Planting, and Care
Although lettuce grows fastest in full sun, it is one of the few vegetables that tolerates some shade. In fact, a spring crop often lasts longer if shaded from the afternoon sun as the season warms. You can grow lots of lettuce in a small space, even a container.
How much sunlight does a lettuce plant need?
approximately 6 to 8 hours
How much sun does lettuce need to grow? Most lettuce varieties enjoy full sunlight. For the best turnout, make sure you plant your lettuce in an area that receives approximately 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Some varieties can also be grown in partial shade, receiving 4 to 6 hours a day.
Do I need to cover lettuce?
Lettuce is tolerant of cold temperatures for short periods of time, although growth will slow down. To protect lettuce in frost-prone areas, plant romaine or butterhead lettuce, which are the most cold-tolerant. When frost is predicted, cover the garden with sheets or towels to provide some protection.
How long does lettuce take to grow?
Most lettuce varieties mature in 45 to 55 days, allowing many gardeners to plant two or even three crops. But looseleaf and butterhead leaves can be harvested at just about any time in their development. Heading varieties take longer to mature. Romaine takes 75 to 85 days and crisphead 70 to 100 days.
How long does a lettuce plant last?
Learn the step by step to plant, set up, and grow your own organic salad garden and enjoy fresh greens at least six months each year. Red lettuces tend to last longer than green, and romaine varieties of the green will usually last longer than the softer butter-type varieties.
Does lettuce regrow after cutting?
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.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.