How do I prevent my lettuce from rotting while growing?

If you want your lettuces to enjoy good growth in your vegetable garden, it is necessary to give them sufficient attention. Furthermore, you should also be wary of the damage that slugs and snails are likely to cause.

How to grow salads properly

The important thing to know about lettuces is that they are sensitive to lack of water. Therefore, you must plan regular watering, knowing that this also prevents rapid seeding. A good practice is to clean and hoe the soil in the garden where lettuce is grown. Its cultivation cycle generally lasts eight to ten weeks.

It should be noted that replanting lettuce in the same location poses no problem, as this plant does not tend to deplete the soil. On the other hand, correct fertilization of the soil is necessary.

Greenhouse cultivation

You can definitely consider growing salad in a greenhouse. Early varieties are those for which this type of cultivation is most suitable. In this case, the ideal night temperature should be between 10 and 12°C, while that for the day should be at most 20°C.

Planting in large containers is useful for growing lettuce under cover. This allows them to be moved without hindrance as well as optimal organization of the greenhouse. We must obviously not forget to water sufficiently, while providing fertilization with comfrey manure for example.

Ailments affecting lettuce

Various attacks can damage lettuce crops, particularly young shoots. There is in particular the mosaic virus which manifests itself by the presence of yellow spots on the leaves. Yellow or brown spots associated with discoloration can also be a sign of a mildew attack.

Gray rot, otherwise known as botrytis, causes a loss of plant vigor. The leaves then turn brown and wilt due to a damp and cold atmosphere. Furthermore, slugs and snails are particularly fond of seedlings and young leaves of salads.

Remedies

Several solutions are fortunately possible in such situations. Firstly, it is necessary to apply good growing conditions. When you notice the presence of diseased leaves, they must be removed immediately. You should also avoid in locations where there have already been diseased plants.

Installing a cover can also be beneficial to protect the lettuce. Finally, there are natural remedies to eradicate certain diseases effectively.