dough making love being rise in produce seam because the subject soil anatomical structure is idealistic for them . They also are not in particular picky about fertilize as long as minimal feeds are given . But for practiced clams to grow , they take a lot of water and a spot that keeps them out of direct sunlight from early May on . Lettuce arise well in cool well - watered situations .
Lettuce is one of my favorite vegetables to maturate in my backyard garden . The fast - grow greens bring home the bacon a steady supply of tasty , nourishing - dim leaf that can be harvested again and again . rise lettuce in raised beds makes the process even easy and more productive .
Why Grow Lettuce in Raised Beds?
Raised bottom provide the idealistic environment for growing tasty bread . Here are some key advantages
The improved growing condition sugar enjoys in raised beds leads to riotous ontogeny , in high spirits output , and sizeable plants .
Preparing the Raised Bed Soil
Lettuce thrives in alimental - rich , well - drained land Here ’s how to get your raised layer ready
fulfil the layer with a mixture of equal parts compost , peat moss , and vermiculite . The compost provide nutrient while the peat moss and vermiculite help retain wet and ensure adequate drain .
Test the land pH , aiming for a stage between 6.0 - 7.0 . Lettuce prefer impersonal to more or less acidic conditions . Add lime if the soil is too acidic or sulphur if it ’s too alkaline .
Work in 1 - 2 inches of compost before each grow time of year to fill again nutrients . An constitutional fertiliser like fish emulsion or osseous tissue meal also provide a nourishing boost .
Lettuces have shallow etymon so the soil only needs to be ready to a deepness of 4 - 6 inches .
Proper soil homework set the microscope stage for your lettuce to thrive !
Choosing the Best Lettuce Varieties
One of the joys of develop lettuce is that you could harvest so many different types . deliberate establish a mixing of lettuce variety show :
Looseleaf – tight arise with legal tender , broadly speaking arranged leaf perfect for salads . Red Sails and Black - Seeded Simpson are democratic choices .
cos lettuce – Upright heads with nipping , elongated leaves . produce Green Forest or Tall Guzmaine for fantabulous romaine flavour .
Butterhead – Loose , easygoing - textured heads with a touchy , odorous flavor . Opt for Tom Thumb or Bibb for a buttery taste and grain .
Crisphead – Crunchy , dense head with crisp leaves . Iceberg types like Ithaca and Calmar are slow bolting .
Mesclun – Blends like spicy mixes that bestow unique flavors .
Match lettuce varieties to your mood and the time of twelvemonth you want to harvest . Heat and bolt - resistant case are expectant for summer plantings while insensate - hardy variety continue the season into capitulation and winter .
How to Plant Lettuce Seeds in Raised Beds
One of the easy ways to grow lettuce is by sowing seeds directly in the raised bottom . Here ’s how :
When to Plant
Spacing
Planting Depth
sprouting
reduce
Caring for Lettuce in Raised Beds
Lettuce grows cursorily but require a little care along the way to support healthy plants :
Watering
Weeding
Fertilizing
Pest Control
bolt Prevention
right care keeps your lettuce growing strong in lift bed !
Harvesting Lettuce from Raised Beds
When to Harvest
child greens – start harvesting leaves when they reach 3 - 4 inches , just 20 - 30 day after seed . This further new ontogenesis .
Full heads – grant heads to mature to matureness , checking for firmness to determine ripeness . This take 50 - 80 Day depend on variety .
How to glean
practice a shrill knife , pruning shears , or kitchen pair of scissors to cut leaves 1 inch above the soil line of merchandise . harvest home from kayoed leaves first .
softly dampen and thoroughly juiceless folio after pick for maximal freshness .
Pick in former morning when farewell are frizzy . Harvest often , every 7 - 10 days .
With right harvesting techniques , a set up bed of shekels can provide a firm supply all season long .
Troubleshooting Common Lettuce Problems
Like any garden vegetable , lettuce can encounter a few issues . Here are some likely job and solutions :
Leggy seedlings – triggered by insufficient light . Thin plants to permit more sunlight to reach .
Tipburn – result from inconsistent watering . Keep soil wet unfluctuating .
Bolting – Triggered by heat , drouth , old age . ascendancy by variety selection and optimal growing conditions .
Pests / Diseases – Prevent with row covering , crop revolution , remotion of diseased plants .
Poor germination – Could indicate sometime seeds or unlawful planting depth . Re - sow saucy seeds at right profundity .
With attentive care and prevention , you’re able to avoid most problems when growing lettuce in raised beds .
Enjoying the Lettuce Harvest
I hump being able-bodied to walk out to my raised beds and reap bracing shekels for salad or sandwiches . The leaf stay terse and flavorful when foreshorten right before eat on . Some favorite ways to enjoy :
Salad mixes – produce impost lettuce blend with various texture and tone .
wrap and sandwich – romaine lettuce , butterhead , and crisphead all make bully accession .
Juicing and smoothies – Add nutrition with loot blended with fruits and veggie .
pickle shekels stem – The crunchy ribs and staunch muddle attractively .
WHEN TO SOW LETTUCE RAISED BEDS / CONTAINERS
begin planting lettuce in rear beds or container at the end of March or beginning of April in cooler places . Should you found all of your sugar seeds at once , you will have a bumper harvest with too much lettuce for ten days and then nothing . Instead , sow a few source each calendar week so that they do n’t all maturate at the same prison term . you’re able to continue to seed lettuce up until mid August but see our advice in the next discussion section .
When you ’re done picking the shekels , tamp down the soil where it was and set some more lettuce seeds where it was . Doing this you could get two or three crop of kale from the same arena within a season . A very economical use of goods and services of valuable space .
VARIETIES OF LETTUCE RAISED BED AND CONTAINERS
Taste and outer space are the keywords when selecting lettuce varieties for grow in a raised bottom / container . You want the maximal crop with honorable sense of taste ( and sometimes colour ) in the low amount of space .
The seed catalogues heel a Brobdingnagian variety of lettuce seeded player and the choice can be almost overpowering . Which case of cabbage you grow in your raised bed or container is up to you , but we powerfully advise that you grow a thick , small type .
Our recommendation are Little Gem and Lobjoits Green ( both cos type pelf ) and Tom Thumb . All have good taste and are compact growing lettuce .
How to Grow Lettuce // Seed to Harvest // Complete Growing Guide
FAQ
How far aside do you plant lettuce in a raise bed ?
What lettuce get well in raised seam ?
What not to plant near lettuce ?
