Plant hearting lettuce 30cm apart.
Plant loose leaf lettuce 15cm apart.
Lettuce are easy to grow and can be planted from April till September. They are ideal for containers or raised beds but do just as well in the vegetable garden.
Prepare the ground for planting so that the soil is broken down to even crumbly particles.
Soak the pot of lettuce plants with water the night before planting.
Remove the plants from the pot by gently putting your hand over the plants and tipping the pot upside down. Separate one plant out by teasing the roots apart.
With a trowel, make a hole which is just wider and deeper than the plant roots.
Make a hole
Hold the plant in the hole and using the other hand, gently push the soil, so that the hole is filled all around the roots and underneath. Firm the soil down so that the base of the lower leaves is just above the soil.
Continue planting down the row, spacing the lettuce plants 30cm apart in the row, or 15cm apart if they are a loose-leaf variety. The rows should be about 25cm apart.
Water the newly planted lettuce so that the soil is wet to a depth of about 7cm. Use a watering can rose at the end of the spout, which will give small droplets of water which will not puddle the soil or wash the plants out of the row. Do not allow the soil to dry out, particularly in the first few days.
Once established only water lettuce in very dry weather.
Weeds should be pulled out as soon as you spot them.
Flowering
Lettuce may send up a flowering shoot if they are under pressure from drought or heat. Pull the plant out and discard if this happens as the leaves will taste bitter.
Harvest
Loose leaf lettuce will be ready to cut in about four weeks. Hearted lettuce will be ready to eat in about six weeks when the centre is solid to the touch.
To harvest the hearted lettuce cut the head from the root, with a knife, close to the soil. Cut them early in the day before they start to lose moisture in the sun. Only cut them when you need them and eat them that day.
Leaves from loose leaf varieties can be cut off with scissors as and when required. This is called ‘cut and come again’.
Butterhead lettuce
From March to September keep planting lettuce every 3 or 4 weeks to ensure a continuous supply. Try different varieties and a range of colours with each batch to keep those salads interesting.
| Looseleaf / Leaf Lettuce | Loose leaves grow out from the base of the stem. Cut & come again. The plant is left in the ground as the outside leaves are trimmed off. | Tender |
| Romaine / Cos | Tall, loose oblong heads. | Crisp |
| Crisphead / Iceberg-type | Tightly coiled, cabbage-like heads. | Crunchy |
| Butterhead | Soft loose heads. | Tender |
Mon - Fri 8:00am - 5:00pm
Sat & Sun 9:00am - 5:00pm
Any questions? Email us or give us a call on 01904 400092.
