If you’re planting loose leaf lettuces, skip down to these instructions. If you are planting in late spring or summer, you may need a heat-resistant variety such as Jericho. This is especially important if you live in a hot climate.
Seeds already contain the nutrients they need to germinate, so you can plant them in a soilless growing medium. You can buy a growing medium or make on from an equal mix of vermiculite, perlite, and milled sphagnum moss. Since the seeds will be moved to the ground once they sprout, the aesthetics of your seed trays aren’t as important as their functionality.
You can cover the seed trays with a few layers of newspaper for the first week or so, until the seeds sprout. Keep the newspaper moist with water at all times, and remove the newspaper when you see green shoots coming up. Don’t overwater the seeds. If they get waterlogged they may not be able to grow.
For best results, “harden off” the seedlings first by placing the tray in a sheltered outdoor area part of the time. Do this for two or three days, increasing the amount of outdoor time each day. [2] X Research source You can continue to grow indoor seedlings and transplant them outside throughout the growing season. Select heat-resistant varieties for summer transplanting. Use a watering can or a hose with a diffuser spray nozzle to water the lettuce garden. Don’t completely drown the seedlings in water; just make sure the soil is damp.
Harvest leaves in the morning. They acquire a crispness overnight, and they’ll retain it if you harvest early. See How to Harvest Romaine Lettuce for harvesting this type of lettuce. Lettuce starts to “bolt” in hot conditions toward the end of the growing season. It begins producing seeds and acquires a bitter taste. You can keep this from happening by pinching off the center of the plant. If a lettuce plant does end up bolting, go ahead and pull it up.
Head lettuce should generally be planted indoors instead. Hot weather triggers “bolting” in lettuce, halting leaf growth and introducing a bitter flavor. In hot climates, such as the southern U. S. , you’ll need to plant the lettuce as soon as possible, or look for a heat-resistant variety.
Lettuce is hardy, but there are certain conditions that won’t allow it to grow properly. Make sure the soil isn’t too soggy, and that it has plenty of nitrogen. Make sure the soil is humus rich as well. Talk to someone at your local nursery to discuss ways to enrich the soil in your particular region to make it excellent for growing lettuce.
Stagger the planting at one or two week intervals to get harvests throughout the season. Keep in mind that most lettuces do not grow well in hot temperature, so the last planting date depends on your local climate and the needs of your lettuce cultivar. For best results, use heat-resistant varieties or plant in shade for the final sowings. [5] X Research source
Harvest in the early morning for the crispest leaves. Pinching off the center of the plant will extend the harvest period. Store lettuce leaves in the fridge for up to ten days, keeping them in a plastic bag with a couple paper towels.
