How is Lettuce Grown? Learn More

Lettuce is an annual plant of the Aster family, and is a major source of vitamins K and A. It can contain rhizomatous roots or fibrous root systems. It has a short stem with larger leaves arranged at the bottom and gradually become smaller at the top of the stem. Its leaf colors vary from shades of green to green. Dark red and purple, and it is dense and may be smooth or wrinkled, and the types of lettuce differ greatly in size, shape and type of paper, as it grows at a height of 30-100 cm, and usually grows annually.

Lettuce cultivation methods

The following is a mention of the steps for growing lettuce: 

• To grow lettuce, the site should provide at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. The loose, fast-growing type of lettuce can be grown in a partial shade area that provides 3-4 hours of sunshine.
• You can grow lettuce plants in containers that are at least 4-10 inches deep. Because its root system is shallow, it must have drainage holes.
• Make sure the soil has a pH level of 6.0-7.0, mixed with old or new compost.
• Sprinkle the seeds about 3 cm apart, and cover them with a thin layer of soil mix.
• Then sprinkle a small amount of water to moisten the soil, being careful not to wet it.
• To get your lettuce off to a fast start, cover the planting site with tarp or a plastic bag. This is because it retains sunlight and protects the plant from cold temperatures and frost.
• Lettuce usually takes 7-10 days to germinate, after which it will turn into a small seedling with about 2-3 small leaves.

Factors that help lettuce grow

The following are the most important factors that help in the growth of lettuce: 

• Light: lettuce needs sunny places so that it receives 6 hours of sunlight per day.
• Fertilizer: The soil should be rich in compost or compost, as it is a crop that can tolerate excess nitrogen.
• Temperature and Humidity: Lettuce grows best in environments with temperatures between 7.2-24 degrees Celsius. Hot weather makes lettuce leaves taste bitter.
• Spacing: As the spacing between the lettuce crops leads to an increase in the size of the lettuce and increases crop production.

The most suitable species for home cultivation

Here are some types of lettuce that are suitable for home cultivation:

• Romaine lettuce: It is in the form of long and narrow bundles, and its length reaches 50.8 cm. It can grow in warm summer without burning.
• Butter lettuce: also known as Boston, and its leaves are fragile and thin, and it has different types; Those that tolerate heat and can be planted in the summer, in addition to varieties that tolerate cold.
• Green and red lettuce: its size is small, its leaves are large, loose, long, and wavy with wrinkled edges, and it contains large amounts of vitamins A and K, potassium and iron, in addition to antioxidants.
• Loose leaf lettuce: It is one of the simplest and easiest types of lettuce to grow in home gardens, as it forms a compact head and is a source of vitamin A.pe and type of paper, as it grows at a height of 30-100 cm, and usually grows annually.

Water Lettuce

Irrigation times

Lettuce plants must be kept appropriately moist, so you should irrigate them with water when the top of the soil dries out, and you may need to water once a day or more if the weather is hot and dry.

Irrigation methods

The most appropriate method used to irrigate lettuce plants is the drip irrigation method. Because excessive irrigation leads to suffocation of the roots and a reduction in the weight of the shoots, and with a lack of water, the lettuce enters the vegetative stopping point, and leads to infections and necrosis in the plant.

Irrigation quantities

Because the depth of the roots does not exceed 300 mm, the percentage of water must be low. An increase in the amount of water used in irrigation will cause loss of nutrients in the soil, so the appropriate amount of water for sandy soil is about 18 mm, and for heavy clay soil is about 50 mm. Frequent and in small quantities. 

Other information about growing lettuce

How to extract lettuce seeds and prepare them for planting

Here is how to grow and extract lettuce seeds:

• The seeds are present in the plant inside the flower or fall to the ground next to the plant.
• Lettuce seeds do not require much to be planted, as they are very small and only need a suitable depth and direct planting.

The most suitable times for planting lettuce

Lettuce is one of the crops that require cold weather, so the most appropriate time to plant it is in the fall and winter seasons, as lettuce seeds germinate at temperatures as low as 4 degrees Celsius, but the ideal degree for it ranges between 16-18 degrees Celsius.

Soil properties suitable for lettuce cultivation

It is preferable to grow lettuce in fertile soil rich in organic matter, and it is preferable that it be well-drained because lettuce does not need a lot of water, and that the soil acidity is between 6.2-6.8.

Fertilizers stimulate lettuce growth

If the soil is full of organic matter, it does not need to be fertilized. Nitrogen-rich fertilizers are important because they keep lettuce growing and producing regularly. Fish emulsion is an ideal organic fertilizer for lettuce. Apply fish emulsion in half of the recommended amount every two weeks, and it is better to apply the diluted type of it regularly. Directly on the soil, and for healthy growth of the lettuce plant, the percentage of nitrogen should be 4.5%, phosphorus 0.5%, potassium 5%, calcium 0.5%, and magnesium 0.3%.

Diseases that may affect the lettuce plant and their treatment

The following are the most important diseases affecting lettuce:

• Anthracos disease: It initially causes the appearance of small water-soaked spots on the outer leaves, and its size is less than 3 mm. Then the spots develop and enlarge, especially on the underside of the leaves, and turn yellow. In cold and humid conditions, white fungal spores may appear. The development of the disease leads to killing the leaves, and in some cases it leads to dwarfing of the plant, and to prevent it, avoid planting in early spring, and alternate planting lettuce with another plant.
• Lettuce drop disease: It leads to a decrease in the growth of lettuce in coastal areas, as it only affects the leaves and stems that touch the soil, and small fungi of 3 mm in size will cause brown soft decay that eventually leads to the destruction of the crown tissues of the plants, and thus causes it to wilt, and to prevent it, it is necessary to rotate the cultivation Lettuce with other crops, avoiding excess moisture in the soil by improving drainage, removing all infected plants, and using fungicides.
• Powdery mildew disease: It is a fungal growth in the form of a powder, which is formed on the lower and upper part of the old leaves, and the color of the leaves turns yellow or brown, and stimulates the growth of the disease is the moist atmosphere, and it can spread over long distances through the winds, and to control it use sulfur when symptoms appear The first, while maintaining sufficiently high temperatures.
• Septoria leaf spot: It is a fungal disease that appears in the form of small irregular yellow spots and holes on the oldest leaves, causing them to swell and turn brown. If the disease intensifies, large necrotic spots will form and cause wilting of the leaves and death of the plant. Spraying water, and to prevent it, use pathogen-free seeds, plant in sites where rainfall is low, and treat the seeds with hot water.
• Big lettuce virus: It is a viral disease that causes veins to swell and become transparent, as their leaves become wrinkled. The virus is transmitted through the soil, and transmitted to plants through fungi. It is more prevalent in cold weather, and the best way to control it is to plant resistant varieties. 

How to harvest lettuce

Harvesting loose leaf lettuce differs from harvesting head lettuce, in that the loose leaves can be cut as they grow rather than waiting for the core or head to develop. When the outer leaves are about 4 inches long, you can cut the leaves with scissors or with your hands at a height of 1 inch from the crown of the lettuce plant. , and avoid touching the inner leaves when harvesting, as they will grow into outer leaves and be ready to harvest after 10 days. Be careful when removing the leaves so as not to tear or cut the crown or damage the base; Because this leads to impeding plant growth.

Lettuce care tips

Here are the most important tips for caring for lettuce plants:

• Organic mulch and weed suppression help keep the soil moist and cool.
• Fertilize the lettuce plant three weeks after planting to provide it with organic matter, and a steady supply should be maintained if the lettuce is growing rapidly.
• To increase lettuce production, plant the seeds in raised beds. Because its temperature will rise faster than the land around it.