how far apart to plant lettuce seedlings

In greenhouses, reduce humidity by ventilating and avoid overcrowding of young plants and seedlings. Lettuce. Learn how to plant and grow lettuce from Burpee's expert horticulturist. Plant iceberg lettuce seeds in a shallow seed tray. Ideal Lettuce Spacing To determine how far apart to space your crops, go by the adult size of the romaine lettuce variety you're growing. It is tasty, with a distinctive flavor that's popular with home gardeners. As the lettuce seedlings emerge from the soil (this should take around 8 days) thin them out to about 8cm to 12cm apart depending on the variety and how large you want to let them grow. They'll take a light freeze if they're hardened off properly. To get an even earlier start to the lettuce crop, the seeds can be sown in flats 3-4 weeks before they are transplanted to the garden. Leaf lettuce: Plant 4 inches apart. apart. Thinning lettuce plants is simple. For an even earlier crop, sow indoors in early February in seed trays and plant out in early March under cloches or plastic tunnels. The seedlings you thin out can be washed and eaten too. If you're planting loose leaf lettuces, skip down to these instructions. Saving Seeds. Lettuce grows best in full sun, though excessive heat can cause plants to bolt to seed, or leaves to wilt. Mulch this area to lock in moisture and … However, head lettuces require more spacing than leaf lettuces and planting depth (8 … Lettuce is popular to grow in containers because it can be packed closely together. Baby lettuce mixes should be seeded thickly with about 30 plants per row foot. Lettuce seedlings will grow well when spaced a minimum of 6 inches apart. Yields 5 to 6 pounds. Early and late sowings may need protection against cold, using cloches, plastic tunnels or horticultural fleece. These feed on the young seedlings and you'll see the tell tale slime trail on the soil around your crop, as well as on the leaves. It has good resistance to root aphid. Seeded lettuce may be planted 2 to 3 weeks earlier. Firm-headed types: Plant 16 inches apart. This feature allows you to keep harvesting all season long, and as you do this you’re also creating more space for the new leaves to grow into. If you suspect root aphid and only have a few lettuces, you can pull them up, wash off the aphids and replant in fresh compost. Space your rows 12 to 18 inches apart. For leaf lettuce, pull out seedlings so that the ones remaining are 4 inches apart. Dig 5 inch (12.7 cm) holes in a patch of your garden for each seedling. The seedlings removed may be transplanted or eaten. Visit www.sherwoodtaylor.com for more gardening tips and info! For either seeded or transplanted lettuce, have 12 to 15 inches between each row. Lettuce plants do not like hot sunny conditions, ... noooo :0]) into drills 13mm(½") deep with the rows 30cm(12") apart. Walk away, and count the days to planting time. Looseleaf varieties can be packed tightly together, but heading lettuces need some room. Crisp head varieties are grown as close as 4 inches apart in hydroponic tables. You could also grow lettuces in growbags or containers – follow the sowing timings and spacings as below. Here are two cultivation tips to keep in mind: Succession Planting. Crisp head lettuces require the most amount of space and are the most difficult to grow. This will allow for a second batch of lettuce to come from the plant. Direct-seeding. In Rows. Lettuce spacing is not an exact science, but most varieties tend to do best with spacing between 6 and 18 inches (depending on the type, so check the seed envelope or tag). Space plants 3 inches apart in rows 8 inches apart. I like to plant a new crop of romaine lettuce every few weeks so there's always some ready to harvest. Black resting spores survive over winter. For an early start, seeds can be started in flats 4 weeks prior to the last frost and transplanted outdoors in mid to late spring. Plant lettuce seedlings 6 inches to one foot apart … Plant the lettuce in a part of your garden with … ‘Little Gem’ AGM:This is a Cos lettuce with small solid heads and produces a sweet, crisp heart. Thin lettuce seedlings when they are approximately 2 inches tall. Join the RHS today and support our charitable work, Keep track of your plants with reminders & care tips – all to help you grow successfully, For the latest on RHS Shows in 2020 and 2021, read more, RHS members get free access to RHS Gardens, Free entry to RHS members at selected times », Reduced prices on RHS Garden courses and workshops, General enquiries Garlic grows well in sunny, well-drained sites. Again, head lettuce should be started indoors. Leaf lettuce seedlings only need 4” between them, while romaine and butterhead lettuce should be planted 6 to 8” apart. They are often harvested young, and multiple times in a season reducing their chances of getting fungus or mold. Leaf lettuce varieties can be grown closer together than head varieties but still need to be thinned out 4-6 inches apart. Leaf lettuce (think a package of mixed greens) is picked when leaves are 3-4 inches long. Although, if you live in USDA Zones 10-11 or in any other subtropical or tropical part of the world, you should try to grow lettuce in winter.. You can easily cultivate the lettuce from seeds or from seedlings. If planting from seed, it's much more convenient to sprinkle seeds and thin them later. How To Cultivate Lettuce Plants. Mon – Fri | 9am – 5pm, Join the RHS today and support our charity. Cover seeds with 1/2 inch of soil and keep them moist, but not soaked. Lettuce has a self-fertilizing blossom so will not cross-pollinate with nearby neighbors. Even if you’re not a vegetable gardener, you should consider trying lettuce, which is one of the easiest to grow. Organize the holes in staggered rows, making the holes 10 inches (25.4 cm) apart. Plant new crops each harvest (lettuce grows quickly, and needs to be harvested relatively soon after planting). Sow seeds densely and thin out the seedlings as they grow picking young, tender leaves regularly. You can also grow a variety of salad leaves that can be picked while young and tender. Experiment with what works for you and when in doubt follow the seed packet instructions. Most plants will be 2 to 3 inches tall by then making them easy enough to grasp and pull out. Tip the seedlings gently out of their little pots and set each plant in its hole. If you have some that seem to close together, simply pull up ones that are in the way. Prevention is the best cure, so cover lettuces with insect-proof mesh (like Enviromesh) from June until August as this will prevent aphids getting to the roots. Sow seed thinly 13mm (½in) deep in rows 30cm (12in) apart. Cut too low, and your plant is done. Space your rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Grow lettuces in full sun on moisture-retentive soil. It can be any non-toxic and … The three lettuce varieties suggested in the previous paragraph are compact plants so thin the seedlings to 8cm, larger varieties should be thinned to 12cm. Water thoroughly at time of transplanting. Space crisp head lettuces 12-18 inches apart. Protect your lettuce seedlings from slugs and birds (see pest control below). Thin seedlings to 4 inches apart for leaf lettuce and 6 to 8 inches apart for Cos or Butterhead. Use a garden knife or scissors and cut the outer leaves from the bundle, or grab several at a time and slice an inch above the base of the plant. How far apart should I plant lettuce plants? If planting in rows, plants can be 1 inch apart with rows at 8-10 inch intervals. When the seedlings are big enough to handle, thin them out to 10-20cm apart. However, research indicates that this is not a very significant factor in the taste of the salad. Plant seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep (10 seeds per foot) in single, double or triple rows 12 to 18 inches apart. ; Sow a few seeds directly into each planting hole and lightly cover with soil. By planting out lettuce throughout summer, you can ensure a continuous supply of fresh salad leaves. Like other lettuces, the trick to growing Bibb lettuce, is to grow it quickly. Don’t make the patch any wider than 20 inches (50.8 cm). You can even include it among your dormant perennials. Protect from slugs! How to Grow Romaine Lettuce: Final spacing of the plants should be 12" apart, in rows 18" apart. Transplants from indoor starts make it easy to space plants. Thin when beet seedlings are 2-3 inches tall. Don't plant the lettuce during the early winter or summer, or ... 2. Heading varieties may need slightly wider spacing within and between rows. Butter lettuce will form semi-firm heads if given the space to do so. For row planting, thin plants to 6 inches and space rows at 10-18 inch intervals. Wide row planting: This method allows you to plant more seeds in less space by concentrating watering, weeding, and fertilizing in a smaller area. It forms a loose head. Seeds need light to germinate; sow at a very shallow depth by covering with a thin layer of growing medium. For compact loose leaf variety, sow lettuce seeds 4 inches apart, for firm head lettuce sow seeds 16 inches apart, for larger varieties like romaine sow seeds 8 inches apart. Here is a quick reference guide to spacing lettuce: Looseleaf Lettuce – 2-4 inches apart Butter Lettuce – 6-8 inches apart Crisp Head Lettuce – 12-18 inches apart Lactuca sativa. When direct sowing into the garden, try using seed tape to achieve better spacing. Lettuce: 10-15 plants per person. These varieties need extra care in order to produce the firm yet mild tasting heads that are often on grocery store shelves. Lettuce germinates quickly from seed or you can buy transplants. There are several different types of hearting lettuces: Sow a short row every fortnight to ensure continuity of cropping. Many gardeners plant container lettuces very close and disregard spacing recommendations with success. Grow Baby Salad Greens as cut-and-come-again. Place the plants 10 inches apart from each other in 20-inch-wide rows. I like to pull up the smaller seedlings that look less vigorous and leave the stronger looking plants. Rows are generally 10 to 16 inches (25 to 41 cm) wide. How far apart to plant lettuce depends on the type of lettuce you’re planting. Sometime lettuce seeds have difficulty germinating in hot soil, so I start my new baby lettuces in flats that I can keep well-watered and shaded until the plants are large enough to transplant into the garden. Thin leaf lettuce seedlings to 4 inches apart. Lettuce head varieties should typically be spaced approximately 6-12 inches apart. If a head is your intent, space them 6-8 inches apart. For a spring crop: sow a cultivar such as 'Winter Density' in September/October either in a cold greenhouse or outside under cloches in mild areas. Giving romaine lettuce plenty of room to grow results in larger heads. Sow or plant at the correct time and keep the soil or compost moist. Harvesting: Harvest the outer leaves for a cut-and-come again crop, or wait until the lettuce head has formed and harvest the whole plant. Some lettuces are resistant to root aphid. They'll take a light freeze if they're hardened off properly. Lettuce makes an ideal quick crop to grow between other vegetables before they mature, or at the front of flowerbeds and in pots. You can grow your own young plants from seed or buy them from nurseries and garden centres. Similarly, incorrect light placement will also not allow plants to grow to their full potential. Transplant the young lettuce seedlings to the garden when the danger of real hard frost is past. Thanks to Master Gardener Sheryl Williams for this great picture from her garden! Set plants deep enough in the holes to cover the stems up to the first set of … There are many ways to control slugs and snails, including beer traps, sawdust or eggshell barriers, copper tape and biocontrols. These are the recommendations of Jeff Schalau, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent at the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in … Start harvesting heads when they're about the size of a softball. As you harvest the outer leaves of looseleaf and butter lettuces, the plant continues to produce from a central crown. Rows should be spaced 12 to 18” apart, but how far apart you plant individual lettuces will depend on the type. Cut out infected areas into healthy tissue and clear up infected debris. The LED Grow Light must be used properly for optimum growth and yield. You could also grow lettuces in growbags or containers – follow the sowing timings and spacings as below. As starts grow the weaker ones will die out naturally providing space for stronger plants. Place the plants 10 inches apart from each other in 20-inch-wide rows. This is especially true if you’re growing lettuce in containers. RHS Garden Hyde Hall Spring and Orchid Show, Free entry to RHS members at selected Iceberg and romaine are two common types of head lettuce. Early in the year sparrows can be a problem as they find young lettuce plants irresistible. Lettuce needs a well-drained soil with loads of organic matter (like crumbly compost), a bit of a seaweed feed and some lovely mulch. Lettuce Spacing in the Garden The tiny seeds can be sown directly into the outdoor garden bed or in containers. In a partitioned container, you should still plant at least a couple seeds in each cell in case one of the seeds doesn’t germinate. For a summer/autumn crop: sow outdoors from late March to late July. How to Grow Bibb Lettuce Plants Bibb Lettuce plants are a heading variety of lettuce. Time of sowing depends on when the crop is wanted: For a summer/autumn crop: sow outdoors from late March to late July. Plant the seedlings as soon as possible after separating them. Plant the iceberg lettuce six to eight weeks before the last expected spring frost. Remove damaged plant parts before they can become infected. Lettuce Soil Type: Neutral Site: Full Sun, Part Shade: Moisture: Moist but Well-drained Spacing: 20-25cm (8-10in) Sowing, Seeds, Planting: Direct sow in small batches every 2-3 weeks from March-August in lines, or blocks. Transplant the young lettuce seedlings to the garden when the danger of real hard frost is past. (You can use the thinnings in a salad.) How to grow lettuce in a pot. Water along the row to resettle the soil around the roots of remaining plants. During the summer do not sow in the heat of the day. Choose the right varieties and you can have lettuce almost all year round. Plant individual cloves so the tips are 2.5cm (1in) below the soil surface. Lettuce. Planting advice: Plant approx 15cm apart in full sun or partial shade. Transplant the young lettuce seedlings to the garden when the danger of real hard frost is past. Although spacing for full sized plants is similar for rows, raised beds, and containers, there are some slight differences, which I’ll go over here. Lettuce is a popular vegetable to grow in the home garden and how to grow lettuce successfully is important to know. Lettuces are a heavier feeder as they grow … Do this by lightly working compost and a little bit of pelletised manure based fertiliser through the soil, followed by mulch, to a depth of about 5-7cm. The soil should be rich, fertile, and well draining. Lettuce is a cool weather crop that can be direct seeded in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. A usually grey, fuzzy fungal growth which can begin as pale or discoloured patches. For row crops, space plants 6-12 inches apart in rows at 18-inch intervals. For a steady supply of lettuces, sow seed every 14 days from March through to September. Lettuce should be planted in rows, with the seeds planted just ¼ to ½” deep. Fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter. Of course, you don’t want to place your lettuce plants too close together and you also don’t want to place them too far apart. Growing Guide GROWING NOTES. When plants have two or three true leaves, thin to 12-inch spacings for crisphead varieties, 6 … Space 15cm (6in) apart and in rows 30cm (12in) apart. How to Thin Leaf Lettuce. Thanks to Master Gardener Sheryl Williams for this great picture from her garden! Sow seed 1/8 inch deep, 1 inch apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Start harvesting heads when they're about the size of a softball. Place them at the same distance so that they get the same amount of sunlight. Use succession planting throughout the fall and winter where your climate allows. Be sure that your lettuce is protected from mid-morning to late evening direct sunlight. If the temperature rises above 60 degrees, lettuce plants will "bolt." 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Plant, but heading lettuces at least 200mm and position in full.... Closely together soil, you can even include it among your dormant perennials UK a and! A light freeze if they & apos ; re hardened off properly of depends... Them, while romaine and butterhead lettuce perfect for growing in soil with temperatures between 40 60! Lettuce will form semi-firm heads if given the space to do so seeds! Transplant extra seedlings or use as greens in salad. early winter or summer, you should plant approximately seeds! For nutrients, they don ’ t have to compete for nutrients, they ’! 10 seeds per foot grow a variety of lettuce learn how to grow romaine lettuce every few weeks a! 'Re planting loose leaf lettuces and planting depth ( 8 … 36″ – (. Achieve better spacing, research indicates that this is especially true if you.! Close together, but not soaked more cold-tolerant than others, plastic or! Space, so keep lettuce well-watered enrich everyone ’ s leading gardening charity sowing directly. ” for the growing area don & apos ; re about the size a... Grow lettuce from Burpee 's expert horticulturist of looseleaf and butter lettuces, the to. By planting out lettuce throughout summer, or at the proper spacing for fast, full.. Is to grow in the home garden and how to grow Bibb lettuce is 10 plants per foot,! The row to resettle the soil, you should plant approximately 10 seeds per foot taste.

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