Butter lettucebelongs to leafy vegetables. Its edible leaves are soft and delicate. It can be eaten raw, does not require special preparation, and any amateur gardener can handle the cultivation of butter lettuce. Get to knownutritional values of butter lettuceand find out whichvarieties of butter lettuceare worth growing on your plot. Here are the secrets to growing this popular vegetable for a delicious and he althy salad!
Butter lettuce
Fig. pixabay.com
Butter lettuce - nutritional values
Butter lettuce leavesare a source of vitamins A, C, E and small amounts of B1, B2. Lettuce also contains a lot of mineral s alts, mainly calcium and iron. At the same time, it has few calories and the leaves are largely made of water.The nutritional properties of butterhead lettucemake it worth introducing into your diet.
"It is also worth paying attention tohe alth aspects of eating lettucebecause it has an antioxidant effect and lowers the level of bad cholesterol. It also improves digestion as it contains dietary fiber, which helps cleanse the body of toxic substances. "
Butter lettuce - cultivation
For the cultivation of butter lettuce, fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil with good humidity should be used.The pH of the soil for growing butter lettuceshould be close to neutral (pH around 6.5). The lettuce root system is underdeveloped, therefore the plant requires systematic irrigation.Water deficiency causes hardening and turning of the leaves, while excess water promotes rotting of the heads.
Butter lettuce is very sensitive to the intensity of lightIts deficiency affects the run of plants and poor binding of the heads.The optimal temperature for growth of butterhead lettuceis 15 ° C. High temperature, combined with drought, means that butter lettuce does not produce heads, but knocks out into inflorescence shoots. Too high temperature can also cause lettuce bitter, burns and leaf rot.
In butter lettuce cultivation,is a good pre-crop: cucumber, tomato, beetroot, common onion and spinach. Due to the short growing season, lettuce is grown as a forecrop, aftercrop and as a midcrop.
At the same site, lettuce should not be grown more often than every 3-4 yearsdue to the possibility of spreading diseases and pests of butterhead lettuce. Therefore, the rules of vegetable crop rotation should be respected.
Butter lettuce can be grown from sowing and seedlings.Growing lettuce from sowingbegins in spring after the soil has dried out. The seeds are sown at intervals of two weeks in rows, every 20-30 cm. When the plants have grown up and produce 3-4 leaves, there is an intermission, leaving the seedlings at a distance of 20-25 cm.
In turnthe cultivation of butter lettuce from seedlingsaims to obtain the earliest possible harvest. We sow seeds in boxes from February 15th. After emergence, the seedlings are picked into pots and placed in an inspection frame or a heated foil tunnel. At the end of March or the beginning of April, the hardened seedling can be planted in the ground with a spacing of 30x20 cm or 25x25 cm.
Growing lettuce in the garden
Fig. freeimages.com
Butter lettuce - varieties
Butter lettuce varietiesdiffer in plant habit, shape and size of heads, color of leaves, light and heat requirements, as well as disease resistance and length of the growing season.Butter lettuce comes in early, mid-early, mid-late, late and ground wintering varieties.
Among theearly varieties of butter lettuceit is worth mentioning the 'Bona' variety, which is recommended for summer field and early spring cultivation under covers. Creates medium-sized heads with delicate light green leaves. 'Bona' is a type of butter lettuce that is resistant to unfavorable weather conditions and does not accumulate nitrates.
The secondearly variety of butter lettuce is the 'Queen of May' , forming medium-sized heads with delicate light green leaves. 'Królowa Majowych' is a variety with high taste values. The best yields are obtained when grown from seedlings, seedlings need to be picked after approx. 2 weeks after emergence. This variety is sensitive to the lack of light and does not form heads in shaded places.
Among themid-late varieties of butter lettuceit is worth mentioning the 'Nochowska' lettuce, which is very fertile, soil-resistant and resistant to high temperatures. This variety of butter lettuce produces large, hard and very tasty yellowish green heads.
Anothermedium late variety is the 'Maryna'lettuce with a very delicate flavor. Creates semi-open, large and compact heads. The leaves of this variety of butter lettuce are strongly blister-like, slightly wavy at the edge.
Among theinteresting varieties of butter lettuceit is worth mentioning the 'Zina' variety, wintering in the ground without covers, thanks to which it produces a very early harvest in spring. Forms medium, closed heads with light green, brittle leaves. This type of butter lettuce is not suitable for later spring sowing, as it knocks out the seed shoots.
Anotherinteresting variety of butter lettuce is 'Mira'- quite early, forming large, round red-green heads. 'Mira' is intended for early field cultivation and for unheated tunnels. Depending on the cultivation method, the seeds are sown from February to the inspection or from March to the seedbed. This type of butter lettuce is resistant to diseases and unfavorable weather conditions. In addition, it kills inflorescence shoots late, and therefore it is worth getting interested in its cultivation on the plot.
For people looking for the best qualitylettuce seeds for growing in a garden or on a plot , we recommend the store of our guide. We sell varieties of lettuce that yield very well and are resistant to diseases and unfavorable conditions. By sowing these seeds you will see how easy it can be to grow lettuce in your garden, or even in pots at home. To see the seeds offer, click on the image below.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
