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Because lettuce is a fast growing crop, it can be planted multiple times from late summer into the fall season. Lettuce planting dates range from mid-August through mid-October in south Louisiana and from mid-August though late September in north Louisiana. Lettuce also can be planted throughout the month of January.
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 grow romaine lettuce in Louisiana?
Days from planting to harvest can vary among the different types of lettuce. Leaf lettuce generally is harvested at 30 days and bibb lettuce at 30-55 days, while both romaine and crisphead lettuce generally require a longer interval of 60-65 days. There are two seasons to plant and grow lettuce in Louisiana.
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 lettuce be planted 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.
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.
Is lettuce in the sunflower family?
Fun fact: Lettuce is part of the sunflower family Lettuce and sunflowers are part of the Asteraceae family, which is one of the most diverse and largest families of flowering plants. Many members of this family are grown as food crops, including lettuce.
What is crisp head lettuce?
Crisphead, or iceberg, is a rounded, compact lettuce with overlapping leaves. The interior leaves are paler and sweet, while the exterior, greener leaves are more malleable and useful for lettuce wraps. The plants need a long, cool season to develop the dense heads.
What type of bugs eat lettuce?
Caterpillars attacking the fall crop are usually the most troublesome field pests of lettuce. In the greenhouse, aphid and cabbage looper infestations often give problems. Cutworms, whiteflies, leafminers, and slugs are slightly less important greenhouse pests.
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.
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.
Can I plant lettuce in May?
Lettuce can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked in the early spring.
What is the best temperature to grow lettuce?
Lettuce is adapted to cool growing conditions with the optimum temperatures for growth of 60 to 65°F. At 70 to 80°F, the plants flower and produce seed. Lettuce can tolerate a few days of temperatures from 80 to 85°F, provided that nights are cool.
When can I transplant lettuce seedlings?
Lettuce should be transplanted when the plants are between 2-3 inches tall. You should harden off your lettuce plants 7-10 days before transplanting. Bring them outdoors for a few hours, increasing the length of time each day. Prepare your bed by loosening the soil and adding compost if available.
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.
What is the hardiest lettuce to grow?
Other particularly cold-hardy lettuce varieties include Brune d’Hiver, Cocarde, Esmeralda (a bibb), Lollo Rossa, North Pole (bibb), Outredgeous, Rossimo, Sunfire and Vulcan.
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.
Can you grow lettuce indoors year round?
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.
Will lettuce grow back after cutting?
Yes, lettuce leaves will grow back after cutting but only if proper care and technique are used when cutting as all vegetable lettuce follow similar annual vegetable growth cycles.
What does it mean when your lettuce bolts?
Ah lettuce; the most popular of the salad greens, offering a long season of sweet, crispy leaves. Bolting, when the plants shift from leafy growth into flower production, is caused by a number of factors including high temperatures, long daylight hours, and less moisture – in essence – summer.
Can you grow lettuce in a raised bed?
Don’t sow the seeds too deeply as they need light to germinate. Cover them with a thin layer of soil. I often sow twelve to eighteen inch wide bands of baby lettuces in my raised beds, trying to space the seeds about two inches apart. You can grow a single variety this way or buy a packet of gourmet mixed lettuces.
