Table of Contents
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).
What month do you plant lettuce?
Begin planting fall lettuce in late summer so it reaches maturity when the fall air is cool. Head lettuce is usually started indoors or in a cold frame and transplanted in the spring after the last frost date.
Can you plant lettuce anytime?
Lettuces are a cold-season crop, which means they fare best in cooler, more temperate conditions. Get on and sow them nice and early—starting two weeks before your last spring frost. You can keep planting until the weather gets hot, and then start again towards fall (planting 6 to 8 weeks before first fall frost).
How early can you plant lettuce outside?
You can start sowing lettuce for growing outside about 7-8 weeks before the last frost date. Lettuce is frost-resistant, but even so, you don’t want to hurry and move it outside too soon. Temperature is what dictates lettuce’s rate of growth, so if it’s really cold, it won’t grow much no matter how eager you are.
Can lettuce be grown year round?
Lettuce is generally considered a cool weather plant, grown in early spring or fall, although it can be grown in the warm season in most of the SF Bay Area by choosing varieties adapted to warmer weather. Check seed catalogs for summer lettuces.
What is the easiest lettuce to grow?
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!Jun 29, 2018.
What is the fastest growing vegetable?
1. Radishes. Radishes are one of the fastest vegetables, taking just three to four weeks to reach harvest time.
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.
How do you grow lettuce in hot weather?
7 Tips for Growing Great Lettuce in Hot Weather 1) Choose heat tolerant varieties. 2) Germinate your lettuce seeds in cool soil. 3) Provide lettuce with extra shade. 4) Keep the soil evenly moist. 5) Plant a few seeds every 7-10 days. 6) Harvest your lettuce as baby greens. 7) Harvest the lettuce early in the day.
Can you plant lettuce in May?
Lettuce can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked in the early spring.
How often should lettuce be watered?
Grow. 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.
How much sun do lettuce plants need?
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 do I keep lettuce fresh all year?
To harvest high-quality salad greens almost every month of the year, you need to maintain a ready supply of young transplants. The only way to do it is to sow a pinch or two of seeds every week, either indoors or out. Start seeds indoors when it’s either too cold or too hot outdoors.
Can you grow lettuce in a greenhouse?
If you want to sow lettuce early for planting out in March you could sow some in cell trays in the greenhouse in February or early March. Place sown trays in a cold frame or on a greenhouse bench. Lettuce does not need high temperatures to germinate, in fact too high and it can inhibit germination.
Can you grow lettuce indoors all year?
Ways Of Growing Lettuce Indoors. Grow lettuce indoors in a sunny window. This makes it possible to plant lettuce in a pot and grow it all year long — even in the winter when tender leaves would be damaged. If a window is not an option for you, grow lettuce or lettuce microgreens under grow lights.
What is the hardiest lettuce to grow?
1. Mache, aka Lamb’s Lettuce or Corn Salad. Mache, which also goes by the names lamb’s lettuce or corn salad, produces tender leaves with a smooth texture. This is the hardiest salad leaf of our quartet and grows very well outdoors.
What is the best tasting lettuce?
With a long, upright head of crisp, pale green leaves sporting crunchy midribs, romaine—particularly the lighter leaves toward the center (the heart)—is more flavorful than some other varieties. You can often find romaine hearts packaged in your local grocery store.
What lettuce is healthiest?
So, to answer your question, the most nutritious lettuce is Romaine. Compared to red leaf, green leaf, butterhead (Boston and bib types) and iceberg, it delivers more folate, potassium, beta carotene and lutein.
