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Can lettuce be grown in winter?
For most of us, that’s a pleasure reserved for spring through fall. However, salad lovers can grow lettuce indoors, all winter long. Depending upon available sunlight, even urban gardeners can raise a steady supply of your favorite greens on a windowsill or beneath grow lights.
How do you grow lettuce in the winter?
Sowing in September. September is a great month to plant lettuce for a winter crop. We sow lettuce every two days during the first three weeks of the month. Lettuce seed germinates best at about 70 degrees — although it will also sprout at temperatures in the 40s — and prefers cool nights.
How long does lettuce take to grow in winter?
Winter purslane, lamb’s lettuce, mustard leaves and several rugged forms of lettuce, plus the crops known as oriental greens, are ideal. They tolerate colder conditions and lower light levels, allowing swift germination which means you’ll be eating them within six to eight weeks.
Can you grow lettuce in a cold frame in winter?
Cold frames are a great way to grow healthy, fresh salad crops like lettuce, kale and spinach all winter long! You bet with cold frames! Salad crops are the perfect choice when it comes to growing in cold frames. They are quick to germinate, have short harvest times and grow best in cooler temperatures.
How do I protect my lettuce in the winter?
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.
Can I plant lettuce in February?
Plant Cool-Weather Crops If you live in the South or Far West, you can plant cool weather vegetables such as spinach, peas, greens, onions, potatoes, lettuce, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, and radishes in your February garden.
What temp kills lettuce?
Colder temperatures (26-31 degrees F.) may burn foliage but will not kill broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, mustard, onion, radish, and turnip. The real cold weather champs are beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, collards, kale, parsley, and spinach.
What temperature is too cold for lettuce?
How to Grow: Lettuce is a cool-weather crop that thrives in the temperature range 60-65 degrees F, and if thoroughly hardened, most varieties survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees F. Cold-adapted varieties survive much lower temperatures. Seed germinates best at about 75 degrees F.
Can I plant lettuce in January?
Cool season cole crops, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and other cooking greens, as well as lettuce, grow quickly and can be started indoors mid-January to be ready to transplant into the garden in about eight to ten weeks, just in time for early spring weather.
Can you sow lettuce in December?
Considering the vegetables that you can plant in November and December, lettuce is the vegetable that can truly be grown anywhere there is light, soil and water. If you plant it too late, it will take 2-3 weeks to germinate and then shortly thereafter the frost will kill it before it has had time to put on much growth.
Can you grow lettuce all year round?
As the name suggests, this is one you can sow and grow at any time of the year: as a general rule expect to pick your lettuces around 10 weeks after sowing. The butterhead-type heads are dense and crisp, with creamy-yellow hearts and an excellent flavour.
What is the best lettuce to grow in winter?
Red, pink and even black-leaved varieties will create interest in your garden, and these types seem to perform best in the cooler months. Popular varieties include: Buttercrunch, Cos, Cos Red Majestic, Drunken Woman, Little Gem, Red Salad Bowl, Green Salad Bowl and Tom Thumb.
Do cold frames need to be airtight?
Does a cold frame need to be airtight? No, a cold frame does not have to be airtight. In fact, it is better if it isn’t airtight to allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to move around.
Can lettuce survive snow?
Snow will insulate winter crops from freezing temperatures and protect them until harvest. A killing frost or freeze will do more damage to winter vegetables than snow. Carrots, turnips, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, chard, and head lettuce can be harvested from under a blanket of snow.
Does lettuce need 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.
How long does it take for lettuce to germinate?
Cover with only a fine layer of compost, as lettuce seeds need light to germinate. They should begin to germinate after about 7 days. Once they are big enough to handle, thin the seedlings out to allow 10-20cm between plants and mulch around them with well-rotted compost to lock in moisture and keep them healthy.
