Posted by admin on June 3, 2011
There are many varieties of lettuce seeds available to purchase. The reason for this is that lettuce and salad greens are generally quick growing, cool season growers, and tasty. Often warm weather can make lettuce not taste as good and bolt (go to seed).
Lettuce seeds can be planted indoors or outdoors, in trays or in beds. Seeds should be planted less than 1/4 inch deep in the soil. They should be planted in a rich, well drained mix. Lettuce seeds shouldn’t dry out. Lettuce can be harvested in weeks when plants are small, or in a month or two when leaves are larger. Some varieties of lettuce will keep producing leaves.
Above photo: Lettuce plants growing
Posted by admin on July 8, 2009
Growing great lettuce isn’t the easiest of tasks without some experience. I’ve done quite a bit of testing with different varieties and spacing. I have found that mixes of various lettuces together work best as a young mixed greens salad. The seeds can be planted close together and the lettuce trimmed when a few inches tall, like wheat grass.
If one is planning on growing full size heads of lettuce, mixes don’t work as well. The reason for this is that often only some of the lettuce varieties are meant to grow into heads. To grow full size heads of lettuce, I prefer vertical type heads such as romaine. Parris Island and Renee’s Garden Red and Green are my two favorites.
Most lettuce seeds germinate when planted, so the best thing I suggest is to plant about 50 in one pot or the ground. I do this by putting a handful of soil in a cup with the seeds. I mix the soil and seeds together, wet the mix well, and then sprinkle and mix this in the top 1 centimeter of soil where I will plant. Lettuce likes rich, well aerated soil. Plants will germinate within about a week, and should not dry out for long. When the plants are a couple of inches tall, water them well and then thin out. I keep the largest plants, spacing them about 6 inches apart to grow.
Another way to grow lettuce is start with a mixed greens cutting garden which I mentioned in the first paragraph. This one is my favorite. When you’re done cutting down the mixed greens every few weeks for a salad, water the plants well. Take them out of the soil, and save your favorite varieties, planting them six inches apart. Then, water well. This book has many interesting growing tips.
Posted by admin on April 16, 2009
Romaine Lettuce ‘Parris Island’ has been quite the performer so far. I would recommend starting out this lettuce from seed. We found that given good spacing between plants, at least 6 inches, this romaine lettuce produces and produces. Either it can be cut about an inch from where each of the leaves grows, to wait for all new leaves to grow, or better it can be picked from the outside in.
Always leave at least ten leaves in the inside to give the plant strength and photosynthesis. The outer larger leaves can be picked for a nice salad. We would recommend growing lettuce staggered, meaning starting new lettuce from seed every month. This ensures that as any heads of lettuce no longer perform, others are coming in. Romaine Lettuce ‘Parris Island’ matures in about 70 days, and likes well drained soil. I fertilize with an organic fertilizer
every month, and mix compost and aged manure into the soil. Purchase Organic Parris Island Lettuce 400 Seeds 3 Grams.
Romaine Lettuce