How to Plant Lettuce

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Planting lettuce from seed is something that can be both fun and a good excuse for you to get outside the house and enjoy the outdoors for a little while. While you will save time, money and gas by not having to drive to the grocery store to purchase lettuce, you will reap the ultimate benefit of fresh lettuce and the joy of consuming something that you have grown yourself. After all, lettuce is one of the most easy veggies to grow!

Steps

1. Gather the things you will need. See below.
2. Prepare the site. As a general rule, lettuce should be planted in sunny or partially shaded sites that are sheltered from the wind.
   • Loosen up the soil with a pitchfork or broad fork. Remove all weeds and large stones.
   • Use a rake to create a smooth, level planting surface by combing it and then tamping it gently with the head of the rake.
   • If you have very poor soil, you may wish to:
     • Add nutrients such as compost before planting.
     • Till the soil with a rototiller, a tractor tiller, or even with pigs!
     • Construct a raised planting bed to provide additional topsoil.
3. Create planting rows.
   
   • Pull a piece of strong string and tie it down with stakes at both ends to ensure a straight row.
   • Set a plank of wood next to your line, (this is optional, but creates a surface you can step on without compacting the soil; see "Tips" below). Using a hoe, cane or other handy tool, dig a narrow trench about 1 centimeter (0.4") deep. If you are planting more than one row, leave a 30 centimeter (1 foot) gap between each one.
4. Plant the seeds. Drop the seeds into the rows. Check your package to calculate how far away each plant should sit from its neighbor.
5. Cover the seeds. Using a hoe, gently cover the seeds with soil. Use the metal head of a rake or a hoe to lightly firm the soil by tamping above the planted seeds.
6. Water the seeds. If the soil is dry when you are planting the seeds, immediately water the seeds after planting. You should keep the soil moist, as moisture and heat are essential for germination.
7. Protect your plants. Cover the lettuce to protect your plants from cold winds and frost. Use a frame (such as metal hoops) to support a cloth, then pull the cloth tightly over the frames and pin it down with fabric staples or sand bags. Remove the cloth when the seeds germinate and the plants are visible through the soil.

Tips

• Lettuce likes to grow in cool weather and so will generally produce better if planted early. Lettuce can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked and any time after that until concern for fall frost becomes an issue. A lettuce that matures in 60 days can be planted 60 days before the first killing frost of the fall is anticipated. When it gets too hot, lettuce tends to "bolt", channeling all of its energy into producing new seeds, and turning the flavor bitter. If you're planting in a particularly warm area, look for heat-resistant varieties, such as Jericho lettuce. Because it does so well in the cold, if you like growing lettuce you may want to build a cold frame and grow it in the snowy months.
• Always step around the planting area, especially if you have a raised bed. Lettuce needs loose, aerated soil. Stepping on the planting area will compact the soil and make germination and growth less likely.
• You may wish to also label where you planted the lettuce, marking when it was planted as well.
• To enjoy a continuous supply of lettuce, plant a new set of rows each week.
• If you are planting over a hundred linear feet of lettuce at once, this method can be inefficient and hard on the back. On a larger scale, it may be worth investing in a commercial seeder that can accomplish all of these steps with less time and physical strain.
• For an interesting variation, mix several types and colors of lettuce seeds in a single package and sow in a continuous row. This will result in a homemade mix that can be cut as early as 4 weeks after planting for a tender and beautiful salad.
• Buy pelleted lettuce seed as it is easier to handle and plant.
• Try transplanting lettuce after starting it in flats.

Warnings

• Don't fall behind on weeding, or else you may get some unexpected greens in your salad.
• Always wash lettuce before eating it, especially if any chemical insecticides or fertilizers were used. It is better to avoid use of such products and instead to use diligence in weeding and removing insects by hand, and to use compost and manure as fertilizers. The soil will benefit from it, as will your health.

Things You'll Need

• Seeds
• A draw hoe
• A cane or something similar
• A plank of wood
• A frame and horticultural fleece
• A garden fork
• A metal rake
• Stakes and string
• A landscape rake
• Water
• Plant labels (optional)

Related wikiHows

• How to Wash Lettuce
• How to Clean Greens
• How to Shred Lettuce and Cabbage, Restaurant Style
• How to Make Your Lettuce Extra Crispy
• How to Select Great Tasting Celery and Lettuce
• How to Keep Lettuce and Salads Fresh for Weeks
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• How to Grow Lettuce Indoors

Sources and Citations

• VideoJug.com Original source of this information. Used with permission.

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