How do you Grow Lettuce from Seed ?
This can be a difficult question to answer for beginner gardeners because of complex factors like conditions , soil , and pest .
And I advocate scroll to the bottom of this page to line up answer to the 5 most often asked query most gardener have when growing shekels .
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Tip #1:Choose THESE 4 Lettuce Types
While there are hundreds of varieties of lettuce you’re able to uprise , I am recommend 4 kind to choose from .
These are the easiest type when trying to learn how to grow lettuce from cum .
A) Loose Leaf Lettuce
Looseleaf Lettuce is consider the most democratic type of bread in North America and range in color from violet to green .
The reason this character of lolly is called looseleaf is because it does n’t constitute a principal and has numerou varieties .
It takes some 45 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. for this type of lettuce to mature , but you should start out reduce and reap in as little as 3 weeks to promote succeeding industrial plant growth .
The lettuce grows up and you should reap the leaves from the outside to the interior and start with the lowest leave of absence first .
Finally , looseleaf has the highest nutritional value but also is known to bolt or seed the quick in warm weather condition .
B) Butterhead Lettuce
Butterhead lettuce is another incredibly popular character of lettuce in North America and is named this because it forms easygoing , loose heads .
While the flora grows smaller than other types of lettuce , it has a tender but delightful flavor .
Depending on where you live , this type of clams can be reap anywhere from 30 to 70 days .
Not only this , but it tends to do better in cooler temperatures and may even get bitter if the weather turns too blistering .
Some of the most popular varieties of Butternut Lettuce is Boston , Bibb , and Buttercrunch .
C) Romaine Lettuce
As you’re able to tell from the above word picture , Romaine bread tends to grow flat up from the soil and is one of the most pop types of lettuce used in restaurant .
Romaine lolly stands out by its crispy , crunchy , and dark green color .
Romaine lettuce will take about 60 - 70 day to mature and you will know when to harvest Romaine lolly when the center leaves grow together to form a protracted head .
While this type of lettuce can seed like others , it is also the most heat broad and you’re able to plant it both in the spring and fall .
D) Iceberg Lettuce
Iceberg boodle is one of the tastiest types you could grow but is also the hard to grow and takes the longest to mature at 80 days .
While this type of lettuce is much less heat tolerant than other lettuce , it does shop and transport much well .
You will know when to harvest Iceberg lolly when it forms a head teacher like the picture above .
Because of how difficult it can be to grow , it is also the most expensive eccentric of lettuce sold in restaurants and you’re able to expect the least amount of harvest if you grow it .
Tip #2Starting Seeds Indoors
Because of its ability to withstand modest temperatures , growing cabbage from seed can happen indoors and alfresco . Please interpret below for instructions on how to grow lettuce from seed both indoors and outdoors .
Step 1–Begin Planting Seed 6 weeks Before the Last Frost
You will want to start your source inside some 6 weeks before you be after on move your lettuce into your garden or motivate your plantation owner outside .
- Find Your Last Frost DateHERE *
Step 2–Lightly sprinkle 4-5 Seeds Per Pot
The picture below also give a corking tutorial on how to embed seeds .
Step 3–Provide Your Seeds with At Least 8 Hours of Sunlight
- If you put your seeds closer than 4 inch they will glow and buy the farm . If you put them further aside than 4 inches there is a chance they wo n’t get enough sunshine to germinate . *
You will also desire to keep the room temperature between 50 - 65 degree Fahrenheit . With that being say , you may even rise lettuce seminal fluid in temperature as grim as 40 degree Fahrenheit .
If you do n’t have an arena that will stay consistently around 50 - 65 level , I would advocate investing in aPlant Heating Mat .
Step 4–Spray, Spray, Spray
After your initial planting , you will need to spray the soil once to twice a day for or so 10 days .
It will take approximately 10 years for your come to germinate or “ belt down ” through the grime .
Once your seminal fluid have pullulate and bourgeon through the stain , you will need to continue to spray them twice a day for 4 more month until they are ready to transplant alfresco .
Step 5-Prune & Transplant your Lettuce Plant into a Larger Pot
Once your cabbage grows for about 3 - 4 weeks you could either begin to thin out it to permit only one industrial plant to turn or keep all plants in the pots . If you keep all plant life there is a hazard that they will not arise as full as just one lettuce .
you may do this by taking scissors and lop the little of the plants right at the dirt line . This will allow for the sizable lolly plant to maturate to its full potential .
Next , you may transplant your pelf plant life to a5 Gallon Nursery Pot .
Again , you will want to fill these deal about 80 % full with your potting premix .
Next , you will need to make a hollow approximately 3 inches cryptical ( about the sizing of your bread plant at this point ) .
Then plow your existing small pot upside down , swipe the bottom of it , and then gently pull the soil and your plant out .
You will then place it in your 5 - gallon pot and satisfy it with stain .
straightaway after you do this , spray the soil about 5 to 10 times .
You will then want to go out your simoleons in this sens until it is ready to graft outside .
Step 6–Introduce your Lettuce to Outside Weather
This next step is what most beginner gardeners miss , but is critical to your success .
For about two week , you will want to slowly enclose your Lettuce to alfresco .
On the first day , you will need to range your Lettuce ( still in its pot ) outside in direct sunshine for some 2 hour .
Each twenty-four hours thereafter , commit the Lettuce alfresco for an extra hour until you build up up to 6 straight hr .
Tip #3:Transplant Lettuce Outside
Once the last frost of the year has happened you may transplant your Lettuce outside . If you transfer your lolly before the last frost it may pop off . To help prevent this I advocate planting it in a raised garden bed .
Below , is a 2 gradation physical process for transplant your Lettuce outside into your garden .
Step 1–Do THIS if you will be keeping your Lettuce in its container all summer!
If you make up one’s mind to keep your Lettuce in the pots then there is no need to transplant . You will only need to apply compost orMiracle - Gro Potting admixture
If you want to learn more about acquire Lettuce in containers , I recommend watching the below video :
Step 2–Do THIS to Transplant your Lettuce into your Garden!
Tip #4:Starting Lettuce Seeds in a Garden
Lettuce is one of the well-situated veg to grow outside , no matter where you live .
Whether you do not have the power to start your source indoors or just want to start your seeds directly in a garden then I recommend following the below directions :
Step 1:Start Your Seeds After the Last Frost
You should always start your boodle seeds after the last frost . Lettuce seeds will burgeon forth comfortably at temperatures between 50 - 65 degrees Fahrenheit .
With that being said , they can even grow in weather condition as modest as 40 grade !
If you want to know your last frost date then I advocate ClickingHERE .
Step 2:Plant Your Seeds This Way!
Once you decide to pop cum outside you will want to do the following simple steps :
Step 3:Continue Watering your Seeds
After you initially set your lettuce seeds you will want to water them 2 - 3 times a solar day until the soil is coloured brown .
You will do this until the seminal fluid germinate and then continue doing this until they become at least 3 inches tall .
- If the weather is hot than common for your garden then you may require to water several more times a day then described above .
Tip #5:Effectively Care for your Lettuce THIS Way!
Tip #6:Effectively Harvest Lettuce THIS Way!
Below are several peak to commend when harvesting lettuce :
1.What are the best ways to store lettuce?
Below , will give you several rule of thumb to stack away lettuce longer :
2.What are the Best Uses for Lettuce?
There are numerous uses for lettuce in food . Below , are some of the best path to practice lettuce :
3.What type of Lettuce Seeds should I Use?
There are four types of seed that can be used to grow lettuce ; heirloom , constitutive , hybrid , and GMO .
I recommend using Heirloom or Hybrid seeds . Gardeners do not have access to GMO seeds and organic seed is a selling term and not truly a type of seed .
4.What Type of Fertilizer Should I Use for My Lettuce?
The ripe character of fertilizer for lettuce is compost .
And if you do n’t have the time or ability to produce compost then I recommend buyingMiracle - Gro Plant Foodfor your lettuce .
5.What Type of Soil Should I Use for My Lettuce Plants?
If you will be keeping your lettuce plants in containers all year then you will want a well - drain potting mix that furnish the correct amount of nutrients likeMiracle - Gro Potting Mix .
If you will be implant your cabbage into a garden then you will want to supply a nutritious garden territory mix into the ground , such asMiracle - Gro Expand N Gro
