Growing Lettuce

lactuca sativa : Asteraceae / the daisy family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S                  
      T T              
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Lettuce in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden, or start in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks.. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 81°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 8-12 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots, Onions, Strawberries, Beets, Brassicas, Radish, Marigold, Borage, Chervil, Florence fennel, leeks.
  • Avoid growing close to: Parsley, Celery
  • Lettuce table-ready
  • Lettuce seedlings

Lettuce offer a range of shapes, sizes and colours but they are all easy to grow.

Choose a variety marked on the seed packet as suitable for the time of year as some do badly in the very hot months.

Try to provide some shade to prevent them 'bolting' to flower and seed in the hottest months.

Sow in rows and use thinnings as small salad greens.

Ideal crop for succession planting.

Lettuce are shallow rooted so water daily in hot or dry weather to prevent bitter flavour. and bolting.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Lettuce

Wash well, spin or shake dry and use in salads and sandwiches

Your comments and tips

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My wife complained about the same problem. I had a proper look and detected some 14 caterpillars. the took the colour of the leaves and so were hard to see. However, I had made a day earlier as picture of it and checking back I could see the caterpillars. I scraped them off (better not touch them) and used surface spray that kills them about instantly. Actually I now discovered different caterpillars at a tree and spaying on them a little bit of surface spray caused them to drop of-dead. Obviously no good say on vegies, so use a little tool to scrape them off. I have placed a netting around the vegie and no further caterpillars. Do keep in mind that removing the caterpillars may be the first step as eggs may have already been on the plant for others and so you need to keep an eye on it for a few days.

- Gerrit Hendrik Schorel-Hlavka O.W.B.

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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