How Do You Start Lettuce Seeds In The Summer?

Lettuce seeds don’t sprout easily when the soil temperature is over 22°C (72°F) in summer. Get around this by sprouting them indoors in a cool area, or pre-sprout by sprinkling seeds on a damp paper towel and placing it in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days.

Can we grow lettuce in summer?

Savvy gardeners plant lettuce among other warm-season vegetables, such as tomatoes, so that by the time the lettuce is finished in early summer, the warm-season vegetables are beginning to take over the garden space. Lettuce grows best in a temperature range of about 45 to 75 degrees.

How do you grow lettuce in hot summer?

Meet the Heat Challenge

1. Grow loose leaf varieties that are heat-resistant or slow-bolting, rather than varieties that form heads.
2. Use transplants or germinate seeds indoors in containers away from heat.
3. Provide shade.
4. Don’t skimp on water.
5. Mulch lightly with an organic mulch to retain soil moisture.

When should I start my lettuce seeds?

spring
Sow seeds in the ground 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date or as soon as the ground can be worked. Or, to get a head start, start seeds indoors about 1 month before your last spring frost date. Harden off seedlings for 3 days to a week before setting outdoors.

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).

Can I plant lettuce seeds 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.

Will lettuce seeds germinate in hot weather?

2) Germinate your lettuce seeds in cool soil
Lettuce seed often refuses to germinate if the temperature is above 80 F. During hot weather, you can start lettuce seed indoors under lights, if your home has air conditioning.

What lettuce grows best in 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)

What lettuce grows well in hot weather?

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. Romaine lettuce is sometimes tricky to grow in the heat, although it is relatively heat tolerant.

Should I start my lettuce indoors?

Should I Plant Lettuce Seeds Or Plants? 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.

Is it better to start lettuce indoors?

To grow lettuce in containers, use quality outdoor potting mix. (Garden soil is heavier than potting soil, and will not drain adequately in a pot.) For a jumpstart on the spring garden, start lettuce seeds indoors 3 to 4 weeks before your area’s last hard frost — which is around 28 degrees overnight.

Should I soak my lettuce seeds before planting?

While it’s certainly not required, soaking lettuce seeds for 12-24 hours before planting can help to speed up germination.

How long does it take lettuce to sprout from seeds?

Seeds should sprout in 7-15 days, depending on conditions. Lettuce seeds don’t sprout easily when the soil temperature is over 22°C (72°F) in summer.

Can you start lettuce seeds in paper towel?

Paper towel seed germination for Lettuce. Gardeners sometimes germinate seeds, such as lettuce seeds, indoors by using a paper towel. This is an easy method to test the viability of seeds that have been in storage for more than a year.

What is the easiest lettuce to grow?

Loose leaf lettuce
Loose leaf lettuce, which refers to varieties that don’t form any type of head, is considered the easiest to grow. It matures in 40-45 days, but no need to wait that long to enjoy it! You can start thinning (and eating the trimmings) in as little as three weeks.

How deep should you plant lettuce seeds?

Lettuce seeds are often quite small and only require a planting depth of ¼ to ½ inch deep. Growing lettuce in rows gives your garden a traditional look. Consider alternating rows of green and red lettuce for a whimsical touch.

How often do you water lettuce seeds?

Watering Lettuce Seeds
Place your lettuce seeds about 1 1/2″ to 2″ below the soil. The soil covering the seeds should not be densely packed. Water every other day at the most. You could easily water twice a week when sprouting lettuce plants to increase your chances of healthy plants.

Does lettuce like 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 salad greens grow in summer?

The Top Six Greens to Grow this Summer

• Malabar Spinach. Although Malabar appears to be a vining spinach, it is actually not a true spinach.
• Sweet Potato Greens. Sweet Potatoes have a habit of vining out if control in the home garden.
• New Zealand Spinach.
• Stinging Nettles.
• Purslane.
• Lettuce.

How do you germinate seeds in the summer?

5 Ways to Success with Summer-Sown Seedlings

1. Plant something from seed every week.
2. Protect seedlings from excessive sun and violent weather.
3. Pre-sprout parsnips and other slow-sprouting seeds.
4. Wait for good planting weather and use shade covers.
5. Provide pest barriers.

What temp do lettuce seeds germinate?

70 to 75°F.
Lettuce can tolerate a few days of temperatures from 80 to 85°F, provided that nights are cool. Lettuce seed will germinate at 35°F, but optimum germination is 70 to 75°F. If the plants are sufficiently hardened, they will withstand freezing.