The choice of lettuce varieties is very large.We can grow head varieties, such as butter, batava, crispy and iceberg, leafy, long-leaved (Roman), oak-leaved and corrugated-leaf forms.Other lettuce vegetables such as e.g. vegetable chicory and endive, lamb's lettuce, rocket.
We can easily buy seeds of different varieties for growing in a garden, containers or for advance in an inspection. The more impatient use rushed seedlings to speed up the harvest.
Butterhead lettuce with delicate, fragrant leaves.We can still cultivate varieties known for a long time, but the wide offer also includes seeds from organic forms, such as' Cindy ',' Briweri 'or' Larissa '.
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Lettuce is already growing on raised beds and frames
The earliest lettuce cultivation can be started by the owners of the frames
and raised beds.Sowing two weeks earlier, from mid-March to the end of March, is possible on a bed covered with fleece or foil.In any case, the soil should be well dried.
In the spring, lettuce thrives best in a sunny patch. Cooler stands are the best for summer cultivation. At temperatures above 18 ° C, the seeds germinate quite poorly.You should also remember about growing conditions when choosing varieties.
On long summer days, many varieties of head lettuce tend to release flower shoots, creating hard, small leaves with a bitter taste. To avoid mistakes, please read the recommendations on the packaging.
A flower bed or a fence
Leaf lettuce is generally sown directly in the bed, preferably in rows spaced 20-25 cm apart. Broadcast sowing is also possible, after which the emerging seedlings form a "lettuce meadow".However, this method is most profitable on a bed that is almost completely cleared of weeds
Head lettuces and some leaf varieties that form large rosettes should be sown in rows 40-50 cm apart and stopped every 20-30 cm.Less seeds are needed to grow lettuce in an inspection or in multi-pots.Rushing the seedlings shortens the growing time on the flower bed and is especially profitable for early cultivation.
In summer, lettuces sown directly into the ground do not easily sprout flower shoots, even in hot weather.As they have developed a deep root system, they can use more water and don't need frequent watering.
Strong romaine lettuce, as well as Batavian and iceberg lettuce are not afraid of thermal stress.Some leaf lettuces also have this advantage, e.g. the original 'Cerbiatta' variety with a nutty flavor.The soil on the seedbed should be kept moist and shaded with a non-woven fabric until the first leaves appear.Lettuce grown under cover is primarily threatened by fungal diseases: powdery mildew and rot. Snails are very fond of lettuce in the bed.
Ripe head lettuce should be cut within a week. Rational use of vegetables throughout the season guarantees gradual sowing of seeds at 14-day intervals.Leaf lettuce can also be sown in batches, but at longer intervals.Its heads are not cut, but older leaves are gradually removed which may take 4-6 weeks.
