#34. Tips to Lettuce Grow
There are different varieties of lettuce and most every gardener who grows vegetables will have lettuce plants. Lettuce plants make good gap fillers and can be planted between your other crops. Growing lettuces does not require any expert skills. In fact, it is recommended that novice gardeners start out by growing lettuce.
If you don't have space for a garden, why not try container gardening? You can collect old containers that you have no use for and start your container garden. Just make sure that the containers did not previously hold any toxic substances.
Lettuces can be planted from seed or from young seedlings; you can get both from your local garden store. Varieties like lambs lettuce is good to grow during the autumn and winter months. If you put them under glass, the plants grow well. When you mix up the varieties, you can have different types of lettuce all year round for your salad bowl.
Growing conditions: soil needs to be rich but well draining. Add some compost or well rotted manure to the soil during the autumn and winter months. The soil should not be allowed to dry out. Alternately, you can grow lettuce in containers and transplant them once the seeds start growing – but this idea is not really recommended. In summer it is advisable to plant seeds directly into the ground and thin out as directed on the seed packet.
For the most part lettuces will do well in full sun and partial shade conditions. But the plants are not too fond of a very hot location. Lettuces grow best in early spring and fall. Lettuces can be planted all year round but the cooler season is preferable. In warmer climates, you can plant them in the shade.
Prepare the bed by mixing the fertilizer well into the soil about a week before you plan to plant. It is advisable to plant directly into the soils, cover the seeds with a thin layer of garden soil and keep it moist.
When the plants are about three inches tall, it is time to thin them out as overcrowding only stunts growth. You can use the plants you remove as tender additions to your salad, so don't throw them out.
Gardeners need to realize that lettuce does not store very well. It is better to plant in a staggered pattern; every two weeks except during peak summer months.
You need to pick the lettuce rather than leaving mature heads on the plants. Give them away if you have too much, but don't waste them.