Lettuce seeds should be planted a half-inch deep, spaced according to their variety—for compact loose-leaf varieties, sow lettuce seeds four inches apart; for slightly larger varieties like romaine, sow seeds eight inches apart; for firm-head lettuce, sow sixteen inches apart. Try to do this in the evening if possible, as lettuce seeds prefer cooler temperatures. Ensure that the seeds are being planted in a place with plenty of sun throughout the day. There are so many lettuce seeds available. Start lettuce indoors 4 weeks before transplanting; sow or transplant lettuce into the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. Growing your own “salad garden” is a great way to keep fresh leafy greens on hand. How to Harvest Romaine Lettuce. Be aware that this only lessens the possibility of cross-pollination, and does not eliminate it entirely. Leek. How To Cultivate Lettuce Plants. Removed seedlings can be transplanted or eaten as delicious, tender microgreens. Harvest the romaine heads about 65–70 days after planting the seeds. Greens. Step 1: Buy the Lettuce. While lettuces do self-pollinate, they will also cross-pollinate if different varieties are grown too close together. You can measure the width of the plants base stem. Removing pests by hand is also a viable solution and can put an immediate stop to attack. Romaine lettuce … 'Totana' - large Romaine lettuce, up to 12 inches (around 30 cm) tall . The soil must be worked prior to planting since the seeds prefer fertile and moist soil. Collecting lettuce seeds is a great way to save yourself some money, and keep your favorite varieties for years to come. You could also use a fan on low setting and put your plate in front of it. Loose Leaf Lettuce-Members of this group have leaves which make little or no attempt to group or bunch together. Very heat resistant, the plants are slow to bolt; ideal for either fall or spring. Space romaine lettuce seeds 12" apart. Nadine says. Romaine Lettuce. If the soil is allowed to dry out, the clay pelleting material can wick water away from the seed, causing uneven or lower germination. Lettuce Butterhead & Bib. Older seeds will not germinate. Please keep your newly sown pelleted seeds evenly moist – use more water than with conventional seeds. If you do not want your lettuces to cross-pollinate, grow different varieties at least 20 feet apart to reduce this chance. Amrita Chuasiriporn is a professional cook, baker and writer who has written for several online publications, including Chef's Blade, CraftyCrafty and others. Leaves of lettuce can be eaten prior to seed stalk production, but will taste bitter after the seed stalk has emerged. Be careful not to overwater, and watch for soil sogginess. Don’t cut more than 1/3 of the lettuce off (always leave 2/3 of the plant in the AeroGarden). Sow seed thinly along a moist, 1cm deep drill (trench), made by pressing a bamboo cane into the soil. Place the lettuce you cut off into a produce container and put into the fridge until you are ready to use it. Sow or plant at the correct time and keep the soil or compost moist. Prepare the ground for your Lettuce seed sowing, removing weeds, fork in organic matter or well-rotted manure. When grown from seeds, romaine lettuce takes only a little less than 3 months to fully mature. Members include: Arugula; Black Seeded Simpson-fast and easy to grow. Rated 5 out of 5. Growing Freckles Romaine Lettuce Garden Seeds. If planting store-bought seedlings, you can plant them directly into the soil several inches deep (cover the roots and leave the foliage above ground) and space them 12 inches apart. When you grow romaine lettuce, you might experience problems with deer, rabbits, and chipmunks. Start lettuce seeds indoors or out, by sprinkling seeds in rows or in containers, and covering with a layer of soil. As you might know, you should actually put lettuce heads a bit further apart than just an inch or so. Whether sowing seeds indoors or out, using a nutrient-rich, loose soil and choose a container/space with good drainage. Tie a piece of twine around the bottom of the bag, leaving the bottoms of the seed stalks sticking out. Lettuce is ideal for succession planting.Sow seeds every two weeks for production throughout the season, starting with early lettuce varieties, using heat-tolerant varieties as your main crop, and then switching to fall crops late in the summer. If you are creating rows, you want to be sure your rows are at least 18 inches apart. Kohlrabi. Required fields are marked *, This post may contain affiliate links. Leave about a foot of space between rows. Harvesting lettuce is an easy job but a bit laborious. If you love fresh salads and would love the convenience of fresh salad greens in your own backyard, planting romaine lettuce is ideal for you. Many gardeners have had success growing lettuce throughout the summer by planting it in a shaded spot in the garden. Your email address will not be published. Plant the seeds. Grab a head of romaine or other lettuce, and cut it crosswise about 1-2 in. The leaves have juicy, mild and earthy flavour notes. Space romaine plants at least 12 inches (30 cm.) Lettuce is grown from seeds or transplants. How to start romaine lettuce from seed: You can either plant your romaine lettuce seeds directly in the soil or start them indoors about 4 weeks before the last frost of the season. You can tell when the heads are mature by their visual appearance: they’ll have a dark green color and look leafy and open. Look for firm heads that stand tall and don’t collapse under a slight squeeze. Observe your lettuces, taking special note of when the seed stalks appear. Just be sure to work from the outside in — those tender, tiny, … Now sow the seeds of lettuce in each hole of the seed tray. All you need to do is cut the leaves an inch from the bottom and keep the remaining stem. While most lettuce seeds need to be barely covered (or sown on the surface of the soil), pelleted seeds need to be buried by about 1cm (1/2″). They commonly called "loose leaf". Young lettuces will keep producing delicious edible leaves as long as you keep harvesting them. Be sure to prune the lettuce evenly. Rated 5 out of 5. Seeds: Lettuce seeds are available to purchase anywhere you can buy reputable seed. Lettuces are a cool season crop and planting in the heat of summer should be avoided, but many varieties mature quickly and often more than one crop can be harvested in spring and late summer. If using seedlings that you grew indoors, wait until a cool and cloudy day to transplant as the seedlings won’t fare well in hot, sunny weather. … Kale. Once harvested, it is best to enjoy your romaine lettuce right away. For me I like to see what I get, it’s all about the surprise. Look for firm heads that stand tall and don’t collapse under a slight squeeze. Bunch several seed stalks from the same variety of lettuce together inside a single paper bag for ease of harvesting. This will be a good indicator for approximately when to pick your lettuce. Romaine Lettuce 'Valmaine' is ideal for sowing as a 'cut and come again' crop, remaining productive throughout the season with regular cropping and successive sowings. Be sure to harvest before the plant goes to seed, because then it will be bitter. For this reason, regrowing Romaine lettuce from a grocery store for seed is not the best option. Water lettuce seeds and seedlings with a mist bottle instead of a watering can or hose, which will produce a much stronger stream of water. "Parris Island" Romaine Lettuce Seeds, 1000 Heirloom Seeds Per Packet, Non GMO Seeds. Instructions Choose your collection container – I find it easier to use a small plastic bucket or bowl for harvesting lettuce seeds. The viable lettuce seeds should remain on the plate and any dead seeds and lettuce pod chaff should blow … Nowadays, many people harvest lettuce in their homes. Remove the seed stalk from the lettuce plant using pruning shears. It has perfect flowers that are self pollinating, meaning lettuce is not dependant on wind or insects for pollination. Among the older seed varieties, crisphead lettuces in the romaine or cos group tend to be the slowest to bolt, while looseleaf lettuce tends to be the quickest. Seed is viable for 5 years. Keep the soil cool by keeping it moist and sprinkling around the area with compost. Then, make a hole in each cell and add 2 to 3 seeds. This includes local home and garden centers, nurseries, and many online retailers. Romaine lettuce does not like to share its space with weeds. This means you don’t need to wait very long to start harvesting. Consider planting some lettuces for eating, and some to be ignored in favor of letting them set seed. 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