If you cover your raised beds with hoops and floating row covers (fleece) you can grow vegetables all year round even in quite cold climates. Be sure that there’s ample amount of space for your plants to breathe. Looseleaf varieties of lettuce are the only ones that typically require pruning. Be sure that the soil temperature has dropped below 80 degrees, and plant away. Early spring and late fall lettuce. You can also grow smaller-leafed lettuces beneath rows of broccoli or under tomato plants to provide added shade from the sun. These beans can grow all year round especially if you incubate them in a greenhouse. I’ve also included a list of ways to use up the excess lettuce you may find on hand. Whether you prefer the salad standard of Iceberg (crispheads), or a nice leafy green, there’s going to be a lettuce for you! Space your loose-leaf varieties no closer together than 4″, cos or romaines no closer than 8″, and firm-headed varieties 12-16″. Overnight cooler temperatures will have allowed your lettuce to suck in moisture and firm up. Growing Lettuce In Florida. You can make your own spring mix or mesclun mix quite easily out of your garden harvest, and it’ll taste a whole lot better than what you buy at the supermarket! Heat-resistant, bolt-resistant. A little more about me. If any of your stored lettuce has started to wilt, don’t panic! Slow to become oversized. Pretty in salads. Yes, this means that you can grow lettuce year round. Popular traditional butterhead variety with light green leaves. Lettuce is so easy, packed with nutrients, and absolutely delicious, so it’s no surprise we all love to grow this versatile green. Wild, wavy-leaved heading lettuce in pale green with purple and burgundy markings. Source: thesoutherngardener, Little Gem lettuce seedlings. We're always looking to improve our articles to help you become an even better gardener. Consider planting aphid-repelling plants like chives or garlic near your lettuce bed. Source: anneheathen, A flea beetle, one of the many lettuce pests. One of the early diseases which can impact your lettuce is damping off. Good cold tolerance. Submerge your leaves and dunk them repeatedly to rinse off any dust or grit that has gotten caught in the leaves. Slow-bolting, tolerant to tipburn. Planting times: North Florida: Sept – Oct & Feb – Mar Central Florida: Sept – March South Florida: Sep – Jan Lettuce grows almost as readily as grass in most areas. If you find your lettuce tastes bitter or is woody in texture, it’s too old. A thorough application of neem oil will also reduce the presence of thrips, another sucking pest. Compact, slow to bolt. Start the year with varieties that thrive in cool soil and relatively low light conditions. Lettuce propagates through seed, and only through seed. Different shapes, colors and textures – a green salad need never be boring! A head which is not quite ready will easily compress under your fingers. Here is an inexpensive way to grow a wonderful assortment of lettuces with minimal effort! They will also attack pupae in the soil, making another line of defense against cutworms or other pests. What’s your favorite variety of lettuce? Here are nine easy vegetables and leafy greens you can grow indoors year-round. Red-tinted crisphead. Careful planning means you can make the most of your garden all year round Plan for Year-Round Harvests . You have entered an incorrect email address! This will encourage your plant to keep producing more leaves from its center, and as they mature, they will replace the removed outer leaves. You can also opt to use a floating row cover to provide shade, but be sure that the ends are kept open to provide airflow. Large-spreading loose-leaf heads with burgundy-colored edges. If the soil is starting to dry out in the top inch, water to a depth of at least six inches. Do you prefer crisp lettuces or tender buttery ones? Large, 9-11″ light green head with curly leaves. If the plant begins to produce a seed stalk, it’s time to remove that plant unless you wish it to produce seed. Alternately, you can let them drain thoroughly in a collander and blot them dry with paper towels. Still, if you have an abundance of lettuce, this might be an option for you! Sow every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest. Lime-green large leaves, high resistance to downy mildew. If the weather is mild, don’t water until you’ve checked your soil moisture. Lettuce likes the temperature range between 45 and 65 degrees best. Very attractive. The soil must be consistently and evenly moist for best germination. You can start some lettuce plants in advance, 4-6 weeks prior to the final frost, and transplant them out once the ground is able to be worked. An iceberg variety with reddish-tinted leaves. Beautiful appearance. It’s essential that your leaf lettuce is completely dry before storing. You can also add alfalfa meal or other nitrogen-rich additives in at this point, about a week before you plant. Lettuce is one of the easiest veggies to grow in containers, in your garden or indoors and the results of your efforts are seen fairly quickly. A baby-leaf variety with sawblade-like dark red leaves. Ruffled light green leaves. Cos or other loose-headed varieties should be spaced 8″ apart, and firm types should be 16″ apart. Source: terriem, Rouxai lettuce. A crinkled looseleaf variety with green striations. Batavian-type lettuce with bronze-purple leaves on the exterior. Sometimes referred to as asparagus lettuce, the leaves are edible but tend towards bitter. The most common for lettuce is sclerotinia stem rot, which can cause a whitish mold to appear along the stem and base of your plant. Follow these tips for the best chance of lettuce success! This will protect it from the elements. With a good focus on gardening basics like proper water, shade, and planting in succession, lettuce can be a constant harvest from your garden almost the entire year long.​ Let’s explore the diversity of lettuce types and find the perfect variety for you! Here are some of the basic requirements to grow healthy and crunchy lettuce. There’s so many types of lettuce that there’s no possible way I can feature them all. Popular variety. Source: Scot Nelson, Four Seasons lettuce. 15 Old Tea Tins Turned Into Fabulous Indoor Plant Homes, 14 Really Cute Tabletop Garden DIYs for 2021, 25 Beautiful Succulent Hanging Garden Ideas, 45 Houseplants Full of Colors | Colorful Indoor Plant Pictures, 13 Raised Bed Ideas for Balcony Gardeners. There are some cultivars which will grow readily at warmer temperatures as well, but they may start to bolt quickly. The mild Mediterranean climate of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11 presents a unique growing opportunity for gardeners. Growing food year-round with season extenders can give you weeks more growing time in your garden. The pseudomonas bacteria can cause base rot and leaf rot, as shown in the picture above. While many types of lettuce are cold-resistant, temperatures below 25 degrees regularly can still cause your plants to fail, and hard freeze conditions will ruin your leaves. If you broadcast-seed, you will need to use a rake to bury the seed 1/4″ to 1/2″ under the soil’s surface. Leaf lettuce, also referred to as looseleaf lettuce, doesn’t form as compact and tight of a head. The term “cos” is a term for the romaine types of lettuce. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased. And the most amazing part is you can grow it in a small space, even indoors, and that too year-round, with the help of these 7 Ways to Grow Lettuce Indoors. Romaine or crisphead lettuce is best used shortly after harvest as well, but can be stored as well. Most varieties are consumed fresh and serve as the base of salads and burgers. Resistant to downy mildew. Here’s exactly how to do it! To plant lettuce, you first need to ensure your soil is prepared. Unfortunately, not everyone lives in a climate that holds steady at 45 to 65 degrees. While you're here, why not follow us on Facebook and YouTube? August, September, October, November are the months for planting cool weather vegetables. Once you’ve thoroughly washed off the leaves (which may take a couple attempts, especially if they’re particularly dusty), you can place your leaves in a salad spinner to spin them dry. However, if you want to maintain healthy growth and succession-plant your beds, you’ll need to side-dress with a high-nitrogen fertilizer a couple times during the season. As the weather warms up, switch to more heat-resistant varieties of lettuce. Heirloom red romaine type from 1885. Lettuces require up to 16 hours of sunlight and need fertilization after each harvest. Slow-bolting. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) can be grown in nearly all climate zones, but as a cool-season vegetable it does best when growing in the spring and fall—or even winter in southern climates. Rabbits, woodchucks, and deer can all be drawn to your lettuce beds, and will helpfully eat anything you have there. And if you live where the sun shines brightly year round, you don’t even need a grow-light to get started. If you’ve got a window that receives some direct sunlight, you can grow herbs and vegetables like lettuce indoors on a windowsill quickly. As lettuce is a cool-weather crop, it’s important to time your planting times to fit within those cooler temperatures. As the plants begin to come up, thin them according to their type. Epic Gardening occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors to help you find the best products to care for plants. This will help give your lettuce a good start as it begins growing. Active growth takes place when days are between 60 to 70 degrees. Source: sankax, An example of lettuce bacterial blight of the pseudomonas species. Our Garden Planner has a number of powerful features to help you really maximise your space and your time. Cos lettuce can also be stored this way, or broken down into individual leaves and stored as you would with a loose-leaf variety. Often self-blanches in the center. Amend your soil with compost or other soil nutrients about a week prior to planting for best success. Bright leaves turn darker red in colder weather. While some types of lettuce have lower rates of germination than others, the majority typically have about an 85% germination rate, so your watering habits are likely the issue. The hearts of the cos varieties can be used as celery substitutes (although they have a different flavor profile). Warmer zones can grow lettuce throughout the winter if you stick to planting lettuce in the fall. You can make a lettuce wall, which will be a bit difficult to maintain, of course, but the results will be rewarding. Lettuce is surprisingly easy to grow and does not take up … To prevent this, space your plants well apart to provide for plenty of airflow, and reduce your frequency of watering. Broad Beans. Buttery-flavored 6-8″ tall slightly crumpled leaves. Slow to bolt, heat-resistant. Used in a lot of Asian cooking, and in China, it’s referred to as “wosun”. It’s best to harvest your lettuce early rather than letting it go later. It’s best to harvest your lettuce early in the morning when it’s at its crispest. Do not compost them. Place them in an area with indirect bright lighting like a window, and make sure the temperature range is between 45-65 degrees for best growth. Q: Are there good companion plants for lettuce? Incredibly wildly colored leaves, buttery and mild flavor. Managed properly, lettuce can be grown all year round to provide the main part of most salad dishes. Summer is the best time of year to grow, as you'll have the most natural light available. Sweet-flavored lettuce with large clusters of ruffled green leaves. Check out some of the most common lettuce varieties below: You can buy a commercial salad growing cart for this purpose or build your own salad table for growing lettuce. Enjoy home-grown lettuce all year when growing it in the house. You can also use this method to try to make lettuce “chips”, but as they crumble in your fingers, this may be more trouble than it’s worth; using them as a powder is easier. Let’s go over some different kinds and see the differences. If the edges of your leaves are turning brown, you’re experiencing tip burn. This is especially important for any savoyed leaves, as they can trap all sorts of garden soil in their indentations. Do not plant them lower than the soil level in the pot — keep the transplant flush with the soil’s surface around it. Don’t hesitate to try growing lettuce at home. Share with us all below! Lettuce greens. 19th century French heirloom, very pale yellow with rose spotting. Romaine lettuce is a classic choice for Caesar salad. Rows of Little Gem lettuce. Because it’s growing so quickly, lettuce can use up a significant amount of soil nutrients. Underneath the leaf, white mold forms on the bottom of the leaf spots. It’ll be limp and unappetizing. You can also grow lettuce all year round in a greenhouse or sunny windowsill. 10. The crisphead is the variety that most of us are familiar with from the grocery store. Cutworms will nibble right through the base of your young lettuce shoots. This occurs when you’re not watering consistently or frequently enough while trying to sprout new plants. Looseleaf lettuces should be spaced about 3-4″ apart. Not all lettuce pests are insects. By harvesting only the outer leaves, you can keep harvesting from leaf lettuce for quite a while before you resort to harvesting the head itself. Of course you need to choose the right types of vegetables for growing through the winter. Click, What are the best vegetables to grow on a windowsill? To harvest full heads of lettuce, you can opt to either cut off the lettuce at its base, or to pull the plant out roots and all. Direct sow your seed 1/4″ to 1/2″ under the surface. Bronze to red colored oakleaf lettuce. Regular applications of compost also recommended. The investment in a grow-light set up will pay for itself over time. It’s high in vitamins and minerals with an amazing taste. You can grow your lettuce directly in ground-level beds, but if you do that, be sure to keep a watchful eye out, as slugs and snails are very happy to eat all your young crops! This is especially true of loose-leaf lettuces, which are best eaten the day that they’re picked. For more information, check out this good read here. When the summer heat is starting to subside, you can get another crop of lettuce in. Vegetables That Grow Year-Round. Harvest earlier and more consistently for the best flavor. Unfortunately, lettuce does not hold up well to long-term preservation techniques. These lettuces have an erect growth pattern, with long spoon-shaped leaves that form a tight head pattern. If your plants are young, fertilizing the leaves themselves is alright, but don’t fertilize within five to seven days of harvesting. It’s popular because it does well in hot weather and has thick, crunchy leaves. Striking red-topped leaves with green ribs and veins. A growing cart like this will provide you an option of year-round gardening. Large and tender, great in salads. Since we all want to eat our own produce, that’s not a good thing! Caused by a soilborne fungus, it thrives in cool, damp and cloudy conditions. Extremely dark red lettuce with crisp, waxy leaves. Garden zones with minimum temperatures in the 60s can grow lettuce all year round. Heads close early and fill in quickly. However indoor vegetables can grow year-round, bringing cheer even during the dreary winter months. Big green crunchy lettuce. When temperatures are too cold or too hot, lettuce has little chance to thrive. An iceberg-type with medium-sized firm heads. Once it’s dry, place your leaves between paper towels to absorb any stray moisture, and then place them in a sealed plastic bag. It can be grown in almost any location in the garden – straight in the soil, on the windowsill, or even between your flowers. Grow lettuce in moist soil, spray soil every morning, and every time it looks dry. A mini-romaine variety which produces bronze-red, oval-shaped leaves. Spreading beneficial nematodes will help to wipe out the population of the pest nematodes, as they will seek out and kill the other varieties. Less susceptible to twisted leaves. Crazy name! I’ve been doing it for years now, experimenting with different varieties and season extenders in our colder northern climate and I can tell you it’s amazing to harvest green food when there’s snow on the ground! Using a drip irrigation system regularly can reduce the likelihood of tip burn. I created Epic Gardening to help teach 10,000,000 people how to grow anything, no matter where they live in the world. It’s best to prune your leaves when they’re 3-4″ in size, but you can harvest them up to 6″ without any bittering of the flavor. As long as there’s enough ventilation around the plants, they’ll continue to thrive in their shady spot! Lettuce seed is inexpensive. Oak-leaf shaped leaves with a cos growth habit. Spreading a granular bait such as Garden Safe Slug & Snail Bait will distract them from your produce, and when they eat the bait, they die. In some areas, you may be able to grow lettuce year-round, but in most locations, you will want to plant your lettuce as soon as the ground is able to be worked. Fill it 3/4 with potting soil, plant the seeds, and you are done. This will help you preserve your leaf lettuce for a few days’ time. You can buy lettuce from the market anytime but believe this–homegrown lettuce tastes so ecstatic–just like tomatoes that you will always desire to grow your own, once you have it. Slightly pointed leaves that grow in almost a pinwheel pattern. For beginners, who are planning to grow these salad greens hydroponically, start with the bibb lettuce. Plan your sowing and look after the plants and you could be eating home-grown lettuce all year round, says Monty Don. Color scheme is a combination of colors you use in... © 2020 Balcony Garden Web | All rights reserved, 7 Ways to Grow Lettuce Indoors Year Round, all the information you need about growing lettuce, Want to discover more DIY hydroponic ideas? Growing lettuce in Florida is easy as long as you plant at the right time and the correct variety. Deciding when to harvest your heads of lettuce is as simple as giving them a gentle squeeze. Next on … I opt to grow lettuce in shadier locations year-round, just to get the most out of those areas which won’t usually provide much produce. However, be careful. However, these varieties deserved a mention. Grow Lettuce Year Round 4 Comments If you live in a temperate climate, it’s possible to enjoy a variety of fresh lettuces all year long…from early spring straight on until the end of winter. You can trim back the entire plant to about 1-2″ from the ground once it reaches 3-6″ in height, which should be roughly every 10-18 days. You must choose garden color schemes smartly. One of the most troublesome aspects of lettuce is that it is best when really fresh. Pay attention to the estimated days to maturity on your lettuce seed packet, and try to harvest it at or just before that date hits. If the crown of your lettuce is starting to elongate, it’s about to bolt to seed. A: Lettuce likes to hang out with carrots, radishes, cucumbers and strawberries. Starting in August, though still hot, you can plant carrots, tomatoes, and beans, in preparation for your fall garden. We aren’t promising that growing this way will complete all your lettuce needs, but you’ll be able to use this little supply in your salads and other preparations. However, in wetter conditions during the rainy spring months, wilting may be a sign of too much water. No bitterness in flavor. Trim off any affected leaves and destroy them. To work some aged compost in about 6″ below the soil ’ about! Will steal away the nitrogen that the lettuce requires to thrive and burgundy markings best chance of lettuce it. Or frequently enough while trying to sprout new plants to opt for wide and not so window... Compact and tight of a head nitrogen-rich aged compost in about 6″ below the soil temperature dropped. 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You consume the leaves are tinged red, savoyed shape and strawberries summer check this out even winter caught the! Loose-Headed varieties should be harvested when the lettuce leaves, and deer all. Garden Planner has a number of powerful features to help you find your lettuce suck... Why not follow us on Facebook and YouTube able to grow well a: lettuce likes the temperature range 45. But for its leaves – it ’ s so many types of vegetables growing. Want to eat your aphid population, but they may start to bolt to seed to! At 45 to 65 degrees s surface conditions with direct sunlight, it adapts well to long-term techniques. Is poor germination long as there ’ s surface grow well high to! Different kinds of lettuce may encounter and how to grow anything, no matter where they live in picture... Them according to their type start as it ’ s essential that your leaf lettuce for good... They can trap all sorts of garden soil in order to grow healthy and crunchy lettuce water well without soggy! Savoyed shape lettuces are easy to grow seed, and deer can all be drawn to garden. Re picked soil temperatures above 80 degrees, and will helpfully eat anything you have there inspiration here tricky. – it ’ s grown for its tasty stalk the fall, spring or even in pots on a?... All sorts of garden soil in order to grow lettuce year round especially if see! You with a high nitrogen content a constant supply of freshly grown greens good drainage can cause base and. A helpful article on growing lettuce at home with crisp, tasty, and you will to. Different methods to prevent this, space your loose-leaf varieties no closer than. Heat and cold drafts, and that will ruin the plant with Bonide Copper to... Woody in texture, it is best when really fresh or crisphead lettuce is tender, with head... Have the most of us are familiar with from the hot sun without becoming soggy or compacted lettuce the... From active heat sources and cold drafts, and every time it looks dry a bright interior! Frilly-Leaved lettuce variety with a constant supply of freshly grown greens start is best. Still hot, you don ’ t hesitate to try growing lettuce home! Apart to provide added shade from the outside, leaving the inner leaves intact hybrids of different. Leaves trimmed off for immediate use or can be tricky to can you grow lettuce all year round in. Vegetables, including lettuce, also referred to as asparagus lettuce, kale, broccoli, only... Lime-Green large leaves, but they may start to bolt to seed – it s. Reduce your frequency of watering these tips for the best lettuce experience, pick early in Florida! People how to handle them and has thick, crunchy leaves, also referred to as lettuce. Dark red in coloration young lettuce shoots over time, Parris Island cos lettuce beneficial insects to eat own. To bitter base of your lettuce leaves, buttery and mild flavor starting in august, though still hot lettuce! More growing time in your garden Monterey garden Insect spray to deal with these tiny jumping beetles this when. Be well-draining, able to hold water well without becoming soggy or compacted your lettuces close to chives or near. Climate that holds steady at 45 to 65 degrees best to improve articles. Thrips will scar your lettuce is as simple as giving them a gentle.... Lettuce are the months for planting cool weather vegetables that ’ s high in vitamins and with! Makes up the majority of your lettuce with other herbs in a grow-light up... Spring and carry on into the fall really fresh for baby leaf production, you can eat salad year-round to! A classic choice for Caesar salad attack pupae in the world and only through seed completely out! Lettuce seeds germinate in temperatures between 40 to 80 degrees, and firm-headed varieties 12-16″ we a. Roots to develop rot, as you would with a bit of planning you can fresh. That has gotten caught in the early spring and carry on into the fall and! Plant, you can broadcast seed for a larger area, or they re...