How to Grow Lettuce

Let us face it growing lettuce is one of the favorite crops in the garden because it is relatively easy to grow, it grows fast and saves you lots of money compared to buying it in the shops! It is one of the first salad vegetables of the year that can be planted, and so it is one of the first to be harvested in the spring.

It takes well to most soils and you can squeeze it into a small space, also as it has shallow roots it is also suited to growing in containers as well. Planting it.You can plant it as early as 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost as it tolerates temperature changes such as frost very well, although it is not suited to ongoing freezing temperatures, and can run wild bolting in higher temperatures.

So ideally it is suited to growing in the Autumn or Fall seasons. Lettuce can make do with as little as five hours of sunshine per day, and whilst okay in full sunshine is better suited to a shadier area of your plot to stop it bolting, accordingly it is better when picked early rather than late. It will respond well to a small application of fertilizer.

Note whilst it has shallow roots if you are planting in a container then aim for a soil depth of around 6. If you are planting seeds directly in the garden plant them 3/8 to 1/2 inch deep, cover with a fine layer of compost. Whilst the space between rows varies with the variety, ideally they should be thinned to around 8 inches part.

Often the lettuce are started inside and transplanted outside, however this does not apply to all varieties as some must be sown directly in the soil as they do not transplant well. So always read the seed packet. They need light but consistent watering.

Harvest the whole plant when of a suitable size or for a longer harvest use a sharp knife to cut the leaves off when around 4 inches long.

If you found this article of interest and would like to know more then visit the author's site on growing your own vegetables for more great tips and free advice on growing vegetables.

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