At what temperature to sow lettuce in the spring. leaf lettuce cultivation

Even a gardener with minimal experience will cope with planting leaf lettuce. The culture will bring a harvest when planted in a greenhouse, on an open garden bed, or when grown on the windowsill of an ordinary city apartment. You need to know when to plant lettuce in open ground conditions, varieties, planting dates, soil requirements, temperature conditions. Leaf lettuce is a frost-resistant crop. Its seedlings can withstand temperatures down to -4 degrees. Mature plants remain green at lower temperatures - up to -8 degrees. However, these figures are extreme.

The optimum temperature for the variety ranges from 15-20 degrees above zero. This mode will allow the plant to develop properly and delight the summer resident with delicious shoots, even when grown in open ground. Culture loves moisture. Sufficient watering will allow its leaves to maintain special juiciness and bring a good harvest in open ground conditions.

When to plant lettuce - soil requirements

Open ground for sowing lettuce is best prepared in the autumn. Before planting, the earth must be dug up, loosened. Loosening is an important procedure in growing a crop. This is due to the root system of the plant.

If possible, it is good to add organic fertilizers: chicken or cow manure.
You can use previously fertilized beds for planting leaf lettuce in open ground.
In this form, the site remains until spring. Leaf lettuce is good for planting on slightly alkaline soils, as well as in areas with a neutral acid reaction.
It is undesirable to plant lettuce in heavy clay or saline areas. This will lead to the death of the plant. A place for a future landing is chosen sunny. In the shade, the plant develops poorly. Otherwise, it is rather unpretentious.

When to plant lettuce - timing of planting lettuce

When to plant a crop in open ground? Lettuce has one feature: with prolonged cultivation of the plant, the leaves become bitter. Therefore, it will be correct to periodically plant the plant again, like radishes. The optimal time for sowing seeds is the end of April. Under adverse weather conditions, you can plant a crop in early May. Leaf lettuce seeds germinate when the ground temperature is +5 degrees. Therefore, from the moment the snow melts completely, you can prepare for landing.

Seeds are planted in a previously dug-up bed. The soil should stand for two days before planting. Seeds are sown in grooves, the distance between which should be at least 15 cm. A distance of at least 4 cm must be left between plants. Seeds should not be planted deep. So the leaves will appear faster, and with them the first harvest. The plant has good germination. Usually the first shoots appear on the third day.

When to plant lettuce - growing lettuce seedlings

Some summer residents, in order to quickly get a crop of leaf lettuce, prepare seedlings for planting. Sowing dates in this case are shifted to March. Seeds are planted in a container with fertilized soil. You can use individual cups, peat pots. When to plant seedlings in open ground? It is transplanted into open ground after 20 days. Seeds are still producing good seedlings. The plant does not like transplanting, so care must be taken.

When to plant lettuce - a variety of varieties

Varieties of leaf lettuce are different. Early maturing plants have a growing season of up to 40 days. Among the varieties you can choose for open ground, for planting in a greenhouse and even on a windowsill.
In open ground it is better to grow varieties such as:
Emerald;
golden ball;
Riga;
Odessa curly man;
Credo change.

Plants of these varieties are unpretentious in care. For greenhouses, such as:
Moscow greenhouse;
Lollo Ross.

Lettuce is harvested at home. Moreover, it can be sown throughout the year in open ground. Seeds and seedlings are suitable for this purpose. In winter, additional lighting is needed. Remember to respect the distance between lettuce plants. Varieties that are great for planting in an apartment:
Creed change,
Odessa,
Lolo Bionda.

When to plant lettuce lettuce care tips

A good lettuce harvest is fairly easy to obtain. Plant care includes three mandatory steps: watering, loosening, removing wild herbs. Watering should be timely, in sunny weather 1 time per day. In cloudy weather, in the absence of rain, it is necessary to water the crop at least twice every seven days. This should be done in the evening after the sun has set below the horizon. Watering must be carried out from a watering can, which will evenly moisten the soil.

For the purpose of good aeration of the root system and better nutrition of the plant, the soil must be loosened in time. Then all the nutrients will go to the leaves. Due to the precocity of the culture, it can not be fed. It is best to fertilize the soil in the fall or spring just before planting.
It is necessary to pull out weeds between plants in time so that they do not crush the crop. With the development of various diseases on the leaves, the bush must be removed from the garden. This will prevent the spread of infection to healthy plants. Chemicals are not recommended for pest control. For this, there are folk methods, for example, garlic infusion.

When to plant lettuce - storage features

With proper care, lettuce can be harvested fairly quickly. Sufficient lighting, good watering and after a few days you can enjoy the first leaves. When the leaves reach a length of 6 cm, they are cut off. It is better to harvest in sunny weather, which will ensure its long storage. You can pick the leaves, then the lettuce will continue to grow. Leave the salad in the refrigerator. Room temperature has a bad effect on a plucked lettuce bush. It quickly dries up and deteriorates.

Leaf lettuce is unpretentious in care. However, for a beginner in gardening, some useful tips will help in growing this crop:
Individual varieties are suitable for growing in the garden;
For better warming of the soil before planting, cover material is used to cover the future bed;
Seeds should be planted at some distance from each other;
Also, the ground should be covered after sowing, which will contribute to rapid growth;
Timely watering is needed to increase succulent leaves.

Leaf lettuce is gaining more and more supporters. This is due to the many advantages of this culture. The leaves of the plant do not just contain vitamins, they are useful for certain diseases: heart, sleep disorders. Simple care, undemanding feeding, temperature fluctuations, a quick ripening period, a rich harvest make it one of the favorite crops among beginners in gardening, but more experienced gardeners play casino volcano here.

It is best to plant lettuce after vegetables, under which organic fertilizers were applied. It should be returned to the place where it grew up before no earlier than two or three years later. It is very good to grow lettuce next to all types of cabbage, radish and radish. He knows how to scare away those that harm these crops. It is also useful to plant it next to spinach, strawberries, and beans. It is useful for him to coexist with onions, which repel aphids. No need to plant it next to tall beets and carrots. It needs some shading, but only a little - tall thickets can harm its proper formation.

It should be remembered that head lettuce is a nitrate accumulator. Therefore, for him, nitrogen-containing fertilizers must be limited. In addition, you do not need to plant it on a compost bed and place it in the shade.

Growing lettuce - soil preparation and planting

Before planting seeds, the soil must be carefully prepared. Be sure to remove all lumps and lumps. In the event that it is of high acidity, then it is limed. Under digging in the fall, humus is introduced. Mineral fertilizers are applied in autumn or spring. And also , and .

Lettuce is an annual plant. Cold hardy and early maturing. Seeds can be sown before winter. Deadline: end of October or beginning of November. Early ripe varieties are sown from April to May. Mid-season and late-ripening varieties from April to mid-June. The planting depth is 1 cm. The seeds are small, so for the convenience of planting they can be pre-mixed with sand.

You can first sow lettuce in boxes. Shoots will appear in three or four days. When two full-fledged leaves appear, the seedlings dive. When four appear, they are planted in a permanent place.

Cultivation of leaf lettuce - planting care

Plantings need high humidity. This applies to both soil and air. But with excess moisture, the risk of fungal growth increases. This significantly reduces the amount of good harvest. Care must be taken to ensure that a hardened crust does not form on the surface of the soil. Because it can interfere with germinating shoots.

Head lettuce can also be grown from seedlings.

A stretched film will help speed up the harvest.

When growing leaf lettuce, watering is carried out once a week with cool water. In the event that the soil was sufficiently filled during planting, further top dressing can be omitted.

Landings must be protected from powdery mildew and from edge burns. Powdery mildew is the least affected by Berlin yellow, Moscow greenhouse and new varieties. The use of pesticides for this genus of plants is prohibited.

Growing lettuce in a greenhouse

For growing lettuce in a greenhouse, the Riga and Moscow Greenhouse varieties are best suited. The soil is better to use highly fertile, which is rich in organic matter. In soil greenhouses, planting is carried out with seven-line ribbons. In an ordinary way in rack greenhouses, greenhouses and shelters. Plants can also play the role of a compactor in the aisles for and.

Care consists mainly in watering, loosening and airing.

When the young foliage reaches a length of 8 cm, it will be possible to start harvesting. It is carried out in one step. Plants are pulled out by the roots, shake off the ground and remove rotten leaves. Do not collect immediately after watering. Wet plants will rot when stored. For the same reason, you should not wash the harvested crop. The best time of day for this procedure is morning. Then the plants are still fresh and chilled. If necessary, you can also pluck individual leaves.

If the greenhouse is heated, then the harvest is ready at the end of April. In unheated at the beginning of the month of May. Somewhat later in shelters and greenhouses.

Growing lettuce at home

For growing lettuce on the windowsill, the May, Odessa, and Kochanny varieties are most often chosen. Early varieties.

To grow lettuce at home, you need a container. The volume of the container will depend on the type of plant. The soil should be as absorbent as possible. You can prepare a special mixture.

A synthetic winterizer is suitable as a drainage. If you fold it several times, it will absorb enough moisture and humidify the air. You can create a greenhouse effect using a plastic film.

Young plants need a lot of water. The root system is small, and therefore does not cope well with this need. Daily spraying from a spray bottle will improve the condition of the plantings. Containers are easy to water from a watering can. It is best to buy a watering can with a thin spout. Over time, plantings will become denser, and watering will not be so easy.

Seeds are sown in containers with a mixture in a row way. Should not thicken. The earth is compacted with a paint roller, watered and stretched with a film. It is removed when shoots appear. Carry out thinning. It is impossible to loosen the earth in a container - you can damage the roots. Plants are fertilized every week. If there is not enough light, then install a fluorescent lamp.

Growing Lettuce Hydroponically

The lack of greens in the diet will help to make up for growing lettuce in hydroponics. Conveyors for growing plants using the method of flow hydroponics allow you to convey to the consumer all the valuable and nutritional properties of the product. Various sensors that monitor the retention of optimal parameters allow you to get a quality crop.

Salad vegetables are annual plants. These include lettuce, Chinese cabbage, salad mustard, watercress, dill, spinach and other crops. Even in ancient times, the Romans grew various lettuce plants. Now lettuce in all countries of the world is one of the most common and popular vegetable crops.

Lettuce contains many different vitamins (C, B1, B2, PP, P, provitamin A), trace elements - iodine, manganese, molybdenum, iron, copper, boron, etc. The composition of the milky juice of lettuce includes the alkaloid lactucin, which gives plants a bitter taste . This alkaloid improves digestion, metabolism, has a calming effect on the nervous system, improves sleep, and reduces high blood pressure. Salad is recommended for diabetes. Its fresh juice is used as a remedy against chronic gastritis.

Quick reference:

Latin name - Lactuca sativa
Features: Annual cold-resistant plant; leaves (leaf varieties), heads of cabbage (headed varieties) are eaten.

Planting site and soil: Sunny and shady places and well-cultivated neutral soils

Precocity: From germination to harvest 30-100 days, depending on variety

Lettuce is consumed mainly fresh and in combination with various types of vegetables. When added to meat, fish and potato dishes, their taste improves significantly and digestibility increases.

Choosing a place and soil for lettuce

Leaf and head lettuce are grown in open and protected ground as compactors and independent crops. Lettuce is a light-loving, cold-resistant plant. Young plants tolerate frosts of 1-2°C. Thanks to these properties, lettuce can be sown outdoors in early spring and autumn. Winter sowing is also possible.

A favorable temperature for the growth and development of plants is 10-17 °C. In hot, dry weather, lettuce quickly shoots and practically does not produce marketable products.

It is quite picky about soil and air moisture. The soil should be moderately moist. It must be remembered that excessive moisture contributes to the spread of fungal diseases and reduces the quality of the crop.

Lettuce, like all fast-growing crops, is demanding on soil fertility. The best fertilizer for him is rotted manure, which is applied in early autumn (in September), or humus (compost) - 4-5 kg ​​per 1 sq.m. From mineral fertilizers, nitrophoska is applied (60-70 g each) or the corresponding amount of simple fertilizers. Lettuce does not grow in acidic soils. It is better to grow lettuce on well-cultivated neutral soils (pH 6.8-7.2).

Lettuce cultivation and care

Lettuce is grown from seedlings or from seeds sown in the ground. It is better to plant salads with seedlings, especially headed and semi-headed ones, as this allows you to get full-fledged heads of cabbage. The seedling method is needed for both early and late plantings.

Seedlings can be grown in seed boxes from a mixture of soddy soil and humus (1: 1). Seeds are sown on April 5-10 at a depth of 1 cm in boxes in rows, the distance between rows is 1.5-2 cm. Seed consumption per box is about 1 g. After sowing, the soil is slightly compacted. Seedlings are grown without picking, seedlings are thinned out, leaving a distance of 2 cm between plants.

After 30-35 days, the seedlings are ready for planting. In the phase of three or four true leaves, seedlings are planted in the ground. Plant it so that the root neck is at the level of the soil, otherwise the plant will begin to rot.

Salad requires a certain area of ​​nutrition. Plantings of head lettuce are thinned out by 15-25 cm, depending on the precocity of the variety, the removed plants are used for food. Early ripening varieties are grown on an area of ​​10x10 cm, mid-early 15x15 cm, late-ripening 25x25 cm.

In summer, late varieties resistant to bolting are sown. To lengthen the time for obtaining greens, leaf lettuces are sown after 15-20 days, head lettuces - 2-3 times: in spring, summer (early June and mid-July), three varieties simultaneously (early, medium, late) at each time.

Seeds are sown in early spring. In late head varieties, it is necessary to cut the heads crosswise so that the seed shoot can develop freely.

Lettuce care consists in systematic loosening and weeding. Green leafy vegetables, due to their precocity, use nutrients from the soil in a short period of time (2-3 times faster than other crops). Therefore, under green crops, the soil must be filled with organic and mineral fertilizers. Lettuce is useful nitrogen-potassium top dressing.

lettuce harvesting

Lettuce harvesting is started when the plants form a rosette of leaves or a head of cabbage, but no later than the appearance of a stem in individual plants.

Leaf lettuces are ready to eat in 25-30 days, and head lettuces in 45-70 days, depending on the variety. Leaf lettuces are harvested when six to ten leaves appear, and head lettuces - when heads are formed with a diameter of 5-12 cm.

Cleaning of leafy varieties is continuous. Headed varieties are harvested in dry weather selectively as economically suitable heads are formed. It is better to clean the salad early in the morning or in the evening. On a hot day and after rain, lettuce cannot be removed, since in this case its quality quickly deteriorates and it rots. When harvesting, heads of cabbage are cut off with a sharp knife near the ground, yellow and wilted leaves are removed.

At normal room temperature, leaf lettuce lasts no more than a day, head lettuce - no more than three to four days. If the products cannot be used immediately, the plants are dug up with a clod of earth and stored in this way. Lettuce is stored in plastic bags without loss of nutritional value for 3-4 weeks.

Leaves (leafy varieties), heads of cabbage (headed varieties) are eaten raw before the formation of a flower arrow, since with its appearance the leaves become bitter.

lettuce varieties

Lettuce varieties differ in early maturity: early ripening in open ground can be harvested on the 30-45th day after germination, late-ripening - on the 80-100th day.

The following varieties are most common: early ripening - Odessa kucheryavets, Greenhouse (leaf), mid-season - Berlin yellow, mid-early - Vitamin, early - Great Lakes, Large-headed, Iceberg.

Salad on the loggia and windowsill

Lettuce on the loggia can be grown by conveyor throughout the summer until late autumn. Particularly good for a home garden are varieties such as Odessa (the edges of the leaves are corrugated, curly), Mustard leaf, Moscow leaf, Maisky, Headed and watercress.

Lettuce is a cold-resistant plant, it is sown early, starting from April 15-20. Sow immediately in boxes on the balcony or loggia. It is better to use square boxes 60x60 cm in size and 10-12 cm high, since with a shallow root system and with a large mass of leaves, lettuce has an increased demand for moisture, and in narrow boxes the earth dries quickly.

The soil mixture is compacted, shed, grooves are made to a depth of 1 cm at a distance of 12 cm from one another. Seeds are sown sparsely and again spilled from the kettle with warm (30 ° C) water. After sowing, try to keep the box in the shade until emergence, spraying the soil daily. When shoots appear, the seedlings are exposed to a permanent bright place.

Lettuce care is mainly watering. Feeding is not done. Water often, after 1-2 days, but at a time when there is no direct sunlight, in order to avoid leaf burns. Usually watered by sprinkling, washing the leaves, then they will be fresh and beautiful.

Lettuce grows very fast. 3 weeks after sowing, you can already harvest. 10 days after sowing in the first box, seeds are sown in another box. After the entire crop is removed from the first box, the earth must be loosened, watered and sown again. The deadline for sowing lettuce is the first decade of August. This ensures the conveyor of obtaining fresh herbs throughout the summer.

(advice is given according to: O. Ganichkina, A. Ganichkin. Encyclopedia of a gardener and gardener, Moscow, 2007).

Growing leaf lettuce in the open field does not cause any trouble to the summer resident, and there are many benefits from it. Leaf lettuce contains almost all groups of vitamins and many minerals: potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, iodine, copper, molybdenum, boron, as well as organic acids. The use of lettuce leaves promotes proper digestion, speeds up and normalizes metabolism. Only there is a prerequisite - the leaves should not undergo heat treatment, i.e. the faster they are from the garden, the more useful.

Temperature and humidity conditions.

Leaf lettuce is a cold-resistant, photophilous and moisture-loving crop, like radish. The needs of these cultures are also practically the same. A good solution would be to sow radishes and lettuce in the same bed. They will protect each other from pests.

Lettuce seeds begin to germinate at +4 +5 ° C, so they must be sown immediately after the snow melts, in slightly warmed soil. Seedlings painlessly withstand frosts down to -2 -4°C, and mature plants with 4 - 5 true leaves can withstand up to -6 - 8°C.

The optimum temperature for plant development is +15 +20°C, it is in this temperature range, subject to sufficient soil and air moisture, that active growth of green mass begins. With an increase in temperature over +20 +25 ° C, the plant gives less greenery, withers and shoots an arrow with seeds. Also, at elevated temperatures, seeds do not germinate well, so you should not wait for this summer to sow lettuce.

Leaf lettuce is picky about the sun and light, does not like to grow in deep shade. It is preferable to plant it in open sunny areas in early spring. If you are late with spring planting, then plant lettuce in shady places. The scorching hot sun completely stops the growth of lettuce, so try to shade the seedlings with other crops.

Lettuce cannot develop without an abundance of moisture in the soil and air. Therefore, it is advisable to water it every day, and preferably in the evening (after sunset). Moreover, it is better to water by sprinkling, wetting the leaves with water too, but not in the heat.

What soils?

It is best to grow leaf lettuce on loose soils with a large amount of organic matter and trace elements, while the acid reaction of the soil should be neutral or slightly alkaline from 6.0 to 7.2 pH.

Acidic, saline, heavy clay soils are not suitable for growing lettuce. Otherwise, the salad is unpretentious, i.e. grows well on sand, and on loam, and on chernozem, and on carbonate soils.

It is necessary to prepare the beds for leaf lettuce in advance, from autumn. It is advisable to use those beds on which fertilizers were applied. In autumn, they must be loosened and, if desired, add rotted manure or compost at the rate of a bucket per 1 m 2.
We leave everything as it is, until spring.

Due to the fact that the root system of lettuce is not buried, the soil must always be kept loose and moist.

Varieties

For open ground:

• Emerald, Robin,
• Ballet,
• Dubachek MS,
• cricet,
• Riga,
• Odessa curly man,
• Leafly,
• Eurydice,
• Red Creed and others.

In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, we cover the bed with a black film so that the earth warms up faster. After a week, remove the film and sow lettuce seeds.

Important! To speed up the emergence of seedlings above the garden, you can build a greenhouse with a transparent film. Under it will create optimal humidity. When shoots appear, the film can be removed for the day, and covered again at night.

We make grooves up to 2 cm deep, the distance between the grooves is 15 - 20 cm, depending on the type of lettuce. The more bushy the spreading variety, the greater the distance required.
Pour the grooves with warm water and scatter the seeds. You can try to sow so that one seed is 2 - 3 cm, or you can not bother at this stage, and sow with a continuous tape, and then thin out the seedlings. Embedding depth 0.5 - 2 cm.
We fill the grooves with soil.

Important! It is convenient to grow lettuce as an additional crop in beds with radishes, cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini and other crops.

Seedlings should appear in 5-7 days. After the appearance of 3 - 4 true leaves of the lettuce plant, it is desirable to thin out. Therefore, we pull out the extra ones, leaving one plant for 5-7 cm.

We carry out the second thinning when there are 6-7 true leaves on the shoots, leaving a distance of 15-20 cm.

For growing in a greenhouse:

• Moscow greenhouse,
• lollo rossa,
• Odessa curly man,
• Riga.

In a heated greenhouse, leaf lettuce can be grown all winter, in an unheated greenhouse, you can start sowing from March 1. The soil is prepared in advance, the sowing is carried out shallowly - 0.5 cm is enough, you can fill it with soil or peat. For growing lettuce in a greenhouse, a thermos greenhouse is quite suitable for you. Which is easy to build with your own hands

Otherwise, the technology of growing lettuce in a greenhouse is practically no different from growing it in open ground. It is necessary to create an optimal temperature and humidity regime and ensure that diseases do not appear. There is only one feature: the greenhouse must be ventilated. Only when the weather is very cold, the ventilation can be turned off.

In open ground conditions, the surface of lettuce leaves and the soil dry out rather quickly in the wind. This does not happen in a greenhouse. Therefore, watering must be done drip and keep the soil surface dry. Falling on wet soil, lettuce leaves begin to rot very quickly. And high soil moisture leads to the appearance of root rot.

To grow on a windowsill:

• red creed,
• Odessa,
• lollo rossa,
• lolo bionda,
• Grand Rapids.

Any early maturing varieties with a not too developed root system can be grown at home all year round. Only in winter, when the sunny day is very short, it is necessary to illuminate with lamps.

For growing leaf lettuce on the windowsill, ordinary pots for indoor flowers with a height of at least 10 cm are suitable.

At the bottom, be sure to pour drainage (expanded clay, pebbles or other material) with a layer of 2 - 3 cm. Fill the pot with soil from the garden with the addition of rotted manure and sand. We make small indentations in the ground, no more than 0.5 cm. The distance between the holes is 2–3 cm. We spill them with water. Then we put 1 - 2 lettuce seeds in each hole. Cover with soil and water. Cover the pot with cellophane wrap.

It is best to place the pot on a window sill on a glazed loggia, as leaf lettuce does not like too hot air and high temperatures that can await it on the windowsill above the heating radiator. On the glazed loggia will be just right.

After 5 - 7 days, lettuce shoots will appear. We remove the tape. Now you need to make sure that the soil under the lettuce does not dry out. We constantly water the plants and arrange a “shower” from the spray bottle. Definitely only in the evening.

When the height of the leaves reaches about 8 - 10 cm, you can pluck them and eat them. Approximately 5 to 7 weeks after sowing, the entire lettuce bush can be consumed. Then it is desirable to make a complete cut of the bush, leaving only the root. Just a little more, a week or two, the plant will be edible, tender short leaves will grow, but then it will shoot an arrow with seeds. Then we remove it from the pot completely.

Care

Caring for leaf lettuce crops consists only in timely watering, loosening the soil and removing weeds.

It is necessary to water once a day in dry weather and 2-3 times a week in cool and cloudy weather. This is best done by sprinkling after sunset. Watering the salad with a watering can on a hot day is impossible as wet leaves will wither.

Top dressing is not necessary, as the culture is early. It is better to add all the necessary trace elements in advance. Only in exceptional cases can you combine watering with top dressing by adding a little manure to the bucket and carefully hanging it in the water.

It is impossible to fight leaf lettuce pests with the help of chemicals. You can use only natural remedies, garlic infusions, biological products.

If a disease is found on a lettuce plant (root rot or otherwise), it must be completely removed immediately so that the disease does not spread.

Harvest and storage

Lettuce can be harvested when its leaves have reached the optimal length for consumption, i.е. not less than 8 cm. You can pluck individual leaves and eat them on the same day or pluck the whole plant and store in the refrigerator.

You can pick lettuce leaves only in the morning in dry weather, since wet leaves are not stored even for one day. After the leaves are plucked, they are carefully placed in a plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator. There they can lie for up to 1 - 1.5 weeks, then they will begin to deteriorate.

Leaf lettuce is not stored at room temperature. Only at low. You can wash the leaves just before use and it is advisable to dry them immediately, otherwise they will lose some taste.

Leaf lettuce is a spring-autumn plant. Growing it in summer in hot weather is quite difficult, and not necessary. By that time, a sea of ​​​​other useful and tasty herbs is ripening. But in early spring, lettuce is a salvation from beriberi and spring depression.
Sow and eat healthy!

Lettuce performs an honorable mission, providing us with vitamins after a long winter period. We invite you to learn how to grow this useful crop on your site.

Description of leaf lettuce

Within 25-35 days after the appearance of the first shoots, it forms a rosette consisting of 5-10 leaves. This crop is used for both spring and winter sowing, but in the summer, leaf lettuce loses its nutritional value: it begins to taste bitter and forms a stem.

Leaf lettuce is a cold-resistant culture (it is worth remembering, however, that only shoots that have appeared still do not like frost). Seeds begin to hatch at 4-5°C, and the optimum temperature for the further development of this plant is 15-20°C.

At any stage of development, leaf lettuce remains demanding on moisture (it must be present not only in the soil, but also in the air). At the same time, it should not be in excess, otherwise the plants begin to hurt or rot. Excessive dryness of the soil and air provokes a loss of nutritional value: lettuce gives an arrow, and its leaves acquire a pronounced bitter taste.

Choosing a site for growing lettuce

A sunny place is allocated for planting leaf lettuce. The soil on the site should be fertile and loose. Neutral acidity is considered optimal, but with a sufficient amount of nutrients, leaf lettuce grows well on slightly acidic soils.

Preliminary preparation

The area allotted for planting leaf lettuce is pre-fertilized. For 1 m 2 contribute:

• Humus - 1/3 bucket
• Superphosphate - 1 tbsp.
• Potassium sulfate - 1 tsp
• Dolomite flour - 200 g (this additive is relevant for acidic soils)

Selecting a lettuce variety

Varieties of leaf lettuce have different ripening periods. Early-ripening varieties are harvested on the 35th day after the seeds are hatched, and late-ripening varieties are harvested on the 80-100th day.

Early maturing varieties that have earned popularity in our region include Moscow Greenhouse and Ballet, mid-season varieties Berlin Yellow and Maysky, and late-ripening varieties Ice Mountain.

Planting leaf lettuce

Leaf lettuce is grown by seed or through seedlings. Germination of seeds of this crop is maintained for two to three years. The seeds are quite small, so they are mixed with sand before sowing (the ideal ratio is 2:1). Furrows are made across the beds (the interval between them is 10-25 cm). Optimal embedment depth: 1–1.5 cm

For seed propagation, leaf lettuce requires thinning - the procedure is carried out twice, and the first removed plants are usually transplanted to another bed, using as seedlings. Each plant requires a certain area for full development, therefore, adhere to the following layout:

• For early ripe varieties: 10x10 cm
• For mid-season: 15x15 cm
• For late-ripening: 25x25 cm

In order to extend the harvest season, leaf lettuce is sown at intervals of 20 days, but in summer only varieties resistant to bolting are used. The latest date for sowing leaf lettuce in open ground is September 5-10.

To obtain an early harvest of leaf lettuce, it is grown in protected ground through seedlings. In this case, the seeds are sown in boxes. After 3-4 days after germination, the temperature is slightly reduced (only by 3-4 ° C) - this prevents the plants from stretching. At the time of the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings dive, and they are transplanted into the ground only after the formation of the fourth leaf. The root neck of the plant is not deepened - it should remain at the level of the soil.

Leaf lettuce care

Caring for leaf lettuce is not very difficult. Planting is systematically freed from weeds, the earth is loosened and watered with moderately cool water. sprinkling method(to maintain the correct water balance, it is enough to water once a week, in the morning or evening hours). If the soil was fertilized during planting, leaf lettuce does not need to be fed. Otherwise, the soil is enriched using urea for this (1 tsp per 10 liters of water).

For the winter, but much more often it is eaten directly from the garden. Harvesting is carried out in dry weather, in the early stages, cutting off the leaves, and in the later stages, removing the plant from the ground along with the root.

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