Latin |
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Lactuca sativa
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When To Start |
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Lettuce grows best in cool weather in the spring and fall. Sow in April and plant every 2-3 weeks for a continual harvest. Using a cold frame or cloche over mid-late August plantings can stretch harvest into winter.
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Preparing the Soil |
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Soil with lots of organic matter that drains freely is best. Add compost and lime. One cup of complete organic fertilizer per 3m (10') will give adequate nutrition.
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Diseases |
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Soil with lots of organic matter that drains freely is best. Add compost and lime. One cup of complete organic fertilizer per 3m (10') will give adequate nutrition.
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Insects |
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Slugs are a problem in early and late plantings. Clean up their hiding places!
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Growing Tips |
Either direct-seed or start indoors and transplant. Plant seeds on the surface and gently tamp down. Seeds sprout in 2-15 days, depending on soil temperature. Seeds don't sprout easily when soil temperature is over 21ºC (70ºF) (July-Aug). Get around this by sprouting them indoors in a cool area, or pre-sprout by sprinkling seeds on a damp paper towel, placing it in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days. One gram of seed sows at least 10m (35') of row; so don't plant the whole package at once! In hot weather, lettuce goes to seed quickly, so have new plantings ready to go. Seedlings should be hardened off by reducing water and putting the plants outdoors in a sheltered location for 2 or 3 days before transplanting. Thin or transplant loose-leaf types to 20-25cm (8-10") apart. Heading types should stand about 30cm (12") apart in rows 30cm (18") apart. Regular watering is essential to prevent leaves from getting bitter. In optimal conditions at least 80% of seeds will germinate. Soil temperature for germination: 10º-22ºC (50-72ºF). Usual seed life: 3 years.
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Harvest |
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Pick individual leaves or wait and harvest full heads. Summer lettuce stays in prime eating condition only a short time, so harvest promptly and keep planting. In fall and winter the plants stay in good eating condition longer.
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