Sow and Grow Lettuce

When I think of growing lettuce in my garden, I think gourmet all the way!

I grew up eating iceberg lettuce and didn’t realize how many other options were out there.  Don’t get me wrong – I do like iceberg lettuce as it has a special place for certain salads and meals.  There are four types of lettuce.

If you have a grow room and you are tapped for space, don’t worry you can always sow your lettuce seeds outdoors.  If you have room, you can always get a head start indoors.

In order to germinate, lettuce seeds prefer soil temperatures between 40°F and 80°F.  I usually go for 60°F.  This means that you can start sowing early to mid spring and late summer. 

Indoor Sowing Tips:   

Sow the seeds 1/8″ deep in seed trays under grow lights.

While I initially water the seeds from above until the seeds germinate, I switch to water from below in the seed tray.

Transplant the lettuce seedlings to 4 inch pots in the grow room once there are a few sets of true leaves and continue to water them from below in the seed tray.

Don’t forget to harden off the seedlings before transplanting. 

It is suggested to space lettuce seedlings 6″ apart (4 plants per square foot or 12″ apart (1 plant per square foot) depending on the variety.

Outdoor Sowing Tips: 

Lettuce seeds should be planted 1/8″ deep and the plants should be thinned to 6″ apart (4 plants per square foot or 12″ apart (1 plant per square foot) depending on the variety.  If you want baby lettuce, then plant the seeds closer together.

Initially I water the seeds from above until the seeds germinate, then switch to the drip system.

Growing Tips: 

You can extend the planting and transplanting schedules and be prepared for crazy temperature swings by using hoop tunnels and garden fabric.

Provide compost when planting and use plant food that is higher in nitrogen as needed.

Keep lettuce seedlings and plants moist but not soggy by using a drip system.

Lettuce may be attacked by slugs so I use Sluggo Plus to get rid of them.

Since lettuce loves cooler weather and the roots are shallow, you may want to use a shade cloth over hoops in the afternoon and use some leaf mold as mulch.

While most lettuce varieties produce the best when there is cool weather with air temperature between 60°F and 70°F, you can really extend your growing season by growing different varieties.  There are some lettuce varieties that are cold tolerant and some that are heat tolerant.  Overall, lettuce shines in the spring and fall. 

Also, lettuce is great for succession planting and interplanting.

Don’t forget that lettuce is a member of the Aster Plant Family and belongs to the Greens veggie category.