Loose-leaf lettuce: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow loose-leaf lettuce under cover?
Sow your loose-leaf lettuce under cover to raise young plants when outdoor conditions are still unsuitable. Choose a variety that suits the season and check the instructions on the packet. A bright sheltered space protects emerging seedlings, but a closed greenhouse can become too hot. Lettuce does not need the high temperatures you might provide for tomatoes.
Use clean pots, a seed tray or a modular tray with drainage holes. Fill them with fine seed compost, preferably peat-free, and moisten it before sowing. Scatter the seeds thinly and cover them lightly according to the supplier's instructions. Water gently so the seeds stay in place and the compost does not become waterlogged.
Put the containers in good light and check their moisture regularly. Keep the compost moist without leaving standing water in a saucer. Ventilate the shelter when conditions allow and protect seedlings from overheating. If several seedlings are crowded together, move them carefully into individual modules to give them room. Before planting outside, gradually accustom the young plants to outdoor conditions.
How do you sow loose-leaf lettuce outdoors?
How do you plant out loose-leaf lettuce?
How to care for this plant
-
Thin seedlings
If your lettuces are crowded and you want whole heads, thin gradually to about 15–30 cm according to the variety. Keep closer spacing for promptly harvested baby leaves. In a module, select the seedling you want to keep.
When should you harvest loose-leaf lettuce?
