Lettuce is grown from seeds or transplants. Seed is viable for 5 years. Start lettuce indoors 4 weeks before transplanting; sow or transplant lettuce into the garden as soon as the soil can be worked.
Is lettuce propagated by seed?
Lettuce can be direct seeded or transplanted into a garden. When transplanting lettuce into my garden beds or containers, I typically plant in a grid pattern, spacing each seedling about ten inches apart.
Is lettuce easy to grow from seed?
Lettuce is so easy to grow it can be started indoors for early transplants or sown directly in the garden. In fact, doing both is recommended to get maximum production. Start some lettuce seeds indoors in peat pots a few weeks before the last frost date in your area.
How long does lettuce take to sprout from seed?
about seven days
They must be sown very shallowly or they won’t come up as they need light to germinate. Use good potting soil from your garden supplier in your tray or pot, not soil out of your back yard, and water them gently after sowing. Keep them moist but not wet and they will emerge in about seven days.
How do you get lettuce seeds from lettuce?
If you just have a few lettuce heads to save seeds from, the paper plate method is for you. Clip off your lettuce head from the stalk, and rub the dry flower heads between your fingers over a paper plate. The seeds will pop right out and fall onto the paper plate. Voila!
Does lettuce need sun or shade?
full 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.
What’s the easiest vegetable to grow?
10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow Yourself
- Lettuce. We’ve never known a garden that cannot grow lettuce.
- Green Beans. Beans grow even in fairly poor soils, because they fix the nitrogen as they go!
- Peas.
- Radishes.
- Carrots.
- Cucumbers.
- Kale.
- Swiss Chard.
Can you plant lettuce seeds directly in the ground?
About Lettuce
Lettuce is cool-season crop that grows well in the spring and fall in most regions. This crop is perfect for beginners; it’s easily sown by seed directly in the soil as soon as the ground can be worked.
How many lettuce seeds do you plant in one hole?
Determine how many seeds to plant – Outside, sow the seeds in rows 12-18″ apart. Indoors, plant one per hole for fresh seeds, or 2-3 per hole if they’re old. Plant the seeds – Sprinkle the seeds over the top of the garden soil or indoor trays, or plant them no more than 1/4″ deep.
When should I start lettuce indoors?
Start lettuce indoors 4 weeks before transplanting; sow or transplant lettuce into the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. Seed germinates in 2 to 10 days at or near 70°F (21°C)—but sometimes seed can take up to 2 weeks to germinate if the soil is cold.
When should I plant lettuce?
Considered a spring and fall crop, lettuce thrives when temperatures are between 60 to 70 degrees F. Many varieties reach maturity in as little as 30 days, and some can even be harvested much earlier as microgreens.
Can 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.
Can you save lettuce seed?
Store seeds in a cool, dry, dark place. Glass jars work well. If you have more than one variety, put each in its own envelope and then place all the envelopes in a glass jar. If stored well, lettuce seed should remain viable for 2-5 years.
How do lettuce reproduce?
If a lettuce plant is allowed to reach maturity, it will grow a central reproductive shoot that springs up and produces a cluster of little flowers. The flowers self-pollinate and wilt. In their place grows little parachutes called pappus. Each of the parachutes is attached to several lettuce seeds.
Can I grow lettuce from a head of lettuce?
To regrow lettuce in water, save the end from a head of lettuce. That is, cut the leaves from the stem at about one inch (2.5 cm.) from the bottom. Put the stem end in a shallow dish with about ½ inch (1 cm.)
Can you plant live lettuce from the grocery store?
Living lettuces can be bought in any large supermarket, much like fresh potted herbs, living lettuces come with their roots still attached in a small pot of soil. The most common type of living lettuces you will find are butter lettuces but there are other types so keep an eye out for these.
Can lettuce be grown in pots?
Growing lettuce in containers requires the right type of pot and planting medium. Lettuce needs ample room for roots but you can grow several varieties in 6 to 12 inch (15-30.5 cm.) pots. The greens need a consistent supply of moisture as they are almost 95 percent water but cannot tolerate wet roots.
How do restaurants get lettuce so crisp?
But removing the air is exactly the opposite of what lettuce needs. Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture, in order to stay crisp. That’s why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it’s held in the fridge.
What lettuce is cut and come again?
They are often called cut-and-come-again lettuces. Cutting lettuces are mostly nonheading leaf varieties from two groups, Grand Rapids and oakleaf. The Grand Rapids group produces broad, crinkled, and frilly leaves, while the oakleaf varieties have flatter and distinctively lobed leaves.
What is 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 often should lettuce be watered?
twice a week
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.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.