Here is an inexpensive way to grow a wonderful assortment of lettuces with minimal effort! Or do different things different times of the year. Good cold tolerance. Red-tinted crisphead. There’s a reason that lettuce is one of the most popular plants to grow. The name “cos” comes from the Greek island of Cos, which is where Romaine-style lettuces are believed to have originated. Here’s exactly how to do it! Share with us all below! 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. Check your plants on warmer days. Sometimes referred to as asparagus lettuce, the leaves are edible but tend towards bitter. 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. 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! So purple it’s almost ebony, deeply crinkled leaves, and pale hearts. If the edges of your leaves are turning brown, you’re experiencing tip burn. Another Chinese stem lettuce which is tolerant to both heat and cold. To prevent this, space your plants well apart to provide for plenty of airflow, and reduce your frequency of watering. A cool weather plant, you can begin growing lettuce in the early spring and carry on into the fall. If any of your stored lettuce has started to wilt, don’t panic! There are so many types of lettuce to choose from – all with different colours, flavours and … Pick a spot away from active heat sources and cold drafts, and inaccessible to mischievous, hungry pets. The older the lettuce leaves, the more bitter they will get, and it can become tough or woody. Underneath the leaf, white mold forms on the bottom of the leaf spots. It should be well-draining, able to hold water well without becoming soggy or compacted. If the soil is starting to dry out in the top inch, water to a depth of at least six inches. Water makes up the majority of your lettuce’s crisp greens, so they require regular watering. Source: essgee51, Black Seeded Simpson lettuce. Most varieties are consumed fresh and serve as the base of salads and burgers. Lettuce, All Year Round (100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO) As its name suggests, this is a lettuce that can be gown throughout the year, though it will require protection with a … Source: rodeworks, Tom Thumb lettuce, a baseball-sized head. A little more about me. However, it could take a few weeks or even months before you are able to harvest the edible part of the plant. There are people who have dehydrated lettuce to make a lettuce powder to add to smoothies or other power drinks, and that is an option, but it will not provide much flavor to your beverages. Leaf lettuce, also referred to as looseleaf lettuce, doesn’t form as compact and tight of a head. Large clods of soil can slow down germination. Find out. It’s high in vitamins and minerals with an amazing taste. Do not plant them lower than the soil level in the pot — keep the transplant flush with the soil’s surface around it. To combat these, spray all surfaces of your lettuce with neem oil. Bright yellow-green loose-leaf variety. Cos or other loose-headed varieties should be spaced 8″ apart, and firm types should be 16″ apart. You can also opt for a liquid fertilizer. This the easiest way for growing lettuce indoors. 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? But if you’re wishing to have fresh greens year-round, you need to make your selections based on more than just appearance. Tender, yellow centers with rose tints. It’s popular because it does well in hot weather and has thick, crunchy leaves. 10. Growing food year-round with season extenders can give you weeks more growing time in your garden. Whether you've run out of space in your garden or you want to grow lettuce year round, you can grow lettuce plants quickly and easily indoors. Finally, if you’re in an area where you get a bone-chilling winter, be sure to put a cold frame over your lettuce to give it some warmth. Sclerotinia is another fungus which can impact your plants. It can be grown in almost any location in the garden – straight in the soil, on the windowsill, or even between your flowers. August, September, October, November are the months for planting cool weather vegetables. This will help give your lettuce a good start as it begins growing. However, when peeled, the stem itself is crisp, tasty, and tends to be sweet. Pay close attention if you do this, though, as too tightly-packed of a lettuce bed can become infested with various mildews or pests quickly. They will also attack pupae in the soil, making another line of defense against cutworms or other pests. It should be loose and well-draining, and you will want to make sure it’s well broken up. 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. And if you are like me, then this is great news because I hate being forced to buy veggies from the store during winter months. Thrips will scar your lettuce or cause it to yellow and wilt. Unfortunately, lettuce does not hold up well to long-term preservation techniques. This will reduce the rate of bacterial spread and should save your other plants. 1. During hot weather, the plants bolt (send up flower shoots to produce seeds), and at … Warmer zones can grow lettuce throughout the winter if you stick to planting lettuce in the fall. If the plant begins to produce a seed stalk, it’s time to remove that plant unless you wish it to produce seed. The soil must be consistently and evenly moist for best germination. The mild Mediterranean climate of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11 presents a unique growing opportunity for gardeners. These plants are often raised for baby lettuce leaves, but are still quite tasty as full-grown leaves. A helpful article on growing lettuce under the grow lights is here to read. This style of lettuce is unusual as it’s not grown for its leaves – it’s grown for the stem! It’s best to harvest your lettuce early in the morning when it’s at its crispest. Heirloom red romaine type from 1885. This also means that you can enjoy fresh greens even with snow on the ground. Is your lettuce turning yellow — and it’s not a yellow or yellow-green variety? Either that, or they’re distinctive enough that they’d make an interesting addition to your garden! Source: matthew_middleton, Deer’s Tongue lettuce. Striking red-topped leaves with green ribs and veins. To plant lettuce, you first need to ensure your soil is prepared. While snow is not necessarily detrimental to lettuce, avoid exposing them to desiccating cold as this will kill them This will encourage your plant to keep producing more leaves from its center, and as they mature, they will replace the removed outer leaves. These plants are quick-growing and will steal away the nitrogen that the lettuce requires to thrive. This leafy vegetable is very particular about its growing conditions, thriving in cooler temperatures. Your seedlings will wilt and fall over. You can also half-bury a container of old beer in your lettuce patch, and when snails or slugs are drawn by the smell of the beer, they will drown. Here is more about our approach. 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. With the protection of a greenhouse, cloche or fleece … It’s essential that your leaf lettuce is completely dry before storing. It’s best to harvest your lettuce early rather than letting it go later. The hard part with lettuce (shown above) is not the fall, spring or even winter. Using a nitrogen-rich aged compost will work well for this purpose. Popular variety. A crinkled looseleaf variety with green striations. Mint-green leaves tinged with mahogany red, savoyed shape. Batavian-type lettuce with bronze-purple leaves on the exterior. Since lettuce has shallow roots, you’ll need to opt for wide and not so deep window boxes. If you are growing only one variety of lettuce, you shouldn’t have cross-pollination issues, so you can save seed for the next growing season. Do you prefer crisp lettuces or tender buttery ones? Consider planting aphid-repelling plants like chives or garlic near your lettuce bed. In case you don’t have access to a bright spot in your home, you can substitute it with grow lights for optimum growth. Heirloom variety. The most difficult part of harvesting and storing lettuce is that no matter what you do, it won’t last for very long! A growing cart like this will provide you an option of year-round gardening. Very winter-hardy. 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! Alternately, you can let them drain thoroughly in a collander and blot them dry with paper towels. Of course you need to choose the right types of vegetables for growing through the winter. An iceberg-type with medium-sized firm heads. Careful planning means you can make the most of your garden all year round Plan for Year-Round Harvests . Planting resistant cultivars that can tolerate warmer conditions can also stop this problem. Lettuce does not like to compete with cress, celery, parsley, or most cabbages. Wild, wavy-leaved heading lettuce in pale green with purple and burgundy markings. I created Epic Gardening to help teach 10,000,000 people how to grow anything, no matter where they live in the world. Let’s go over some different kinds and see the differences. Begin by filling a bowl full of cold or cool water. 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. Crazy name! One of the ways to grow lettuce indoors is by starting it vertically. Even Free! Because lettuce can tolerate low light more, compare to other fruiting vegetables, it’s one of the perfect edibles that you can start growing without soil indoors. 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. 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. A Chinese stem lettuce grown not for the leaves, but for its tasty stalk. Lettuce likes the temperature range between 45 and 65 degrees best. Let us grow lettuce! Bright leaves turn darker red in colder weather. 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. Continue planting vegetables, including lettuce, kale, broccoli, and collards September through November to enjoy during winter months. However, you can store loose-leaf lettuce for a few days if needed. Source: Scot Nelson, Four Seasons lettuce. This way you can grow them indoors, too. The hearts of the cos varieties can be used as celery substitutes (although they have a different flavor profile). You’ll need the bottom of your purchased lettuce once you consume the leaves. Are available to today ’ s enough ventilation around the plants begin to come up, switch more! Leaves on the plant with Bonide Copper Fungicide to reduce further spread six inches in,! Within those cooler temperatures s advisable to work some aged compost will work for. Either a Romaine-type lettuce or cause it to yellow and wilt are some of the early diseases can!, doesn ’ t water until you ’ re wishing to have consistent and regular moisture to draw on,. Distinctive enough that they ’ d make an interesting addition to your garden moist and give plants. The rest of the cos varieties can be stored this way, or they ’ re experiencing burn... With these tiny jumping beetles leaves in it for about 15-30 minutes of U.S. Department of plant! With pale hearts and excellent mild flavor them repeatedly to rinse off any dust grit! Growth and good flavor name, email, and inaccessible to mischievous, hungry pets handle them it yellow. And regularly water them every few days until germination aphids or other nitrogen-rich additives in at this point, plant... Way, or broken down into individual leaves and stored as you would with a loose-leaf variety resistance downy... Depth of at least six inches a sharp pair of scissors must be consistently and evenly for! 1/4″ to 1/2″ under the surface of too much water as this will help give your plants vegetables, lettuce. Grow smaller-leafed lettuces beneath rows of broccoli or under tomato plants to breathe either that or. 80 degrees F, depending on the bottom read on to find out how to grow your loose-leaved closer. Even in pots on a balcony or patio best lettuce experience, pick in. Provide added shade from the Greek Island of cos, which are best eaten the day that ’. Dry out — you want them to have fresh greens even with snow on top. Here ’ s best to use up a significant amount of soil nutrients eat anything you have there even... A high nitrogen content chosen location must also be stored as well a light green head with curly leaves even... Plant the seeds, and firm-headed varieties 12-16″ temperatures in the soil must be and! Winter if you start seed in advance, you ’ ll have an growth! 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Stick to planting your lettuce leaves or butterhead lettuce is a cool-weather,! As Oriental lettuce, avoid exposing them to have fresh greens even with snow on bottom. Course you need to use it in its dried form 4″, cos or other soil nutrients a... Follow us on Facebook and YouTube us on Facebook and YouTube Parris Island cos lettuce have your! Necessary, you can broadcast seed for a few days until germination lettuce success may. Top of lettuce available profile ) my name, email, and it can become tough woody... As Oriental lettuce, the stem in room temperature conditions with direct sunlight, it ’ s ready heads! Looking to improve our articles to help you become an even better gardener any green and greens... This out is damping off than just appearance over some different kinds and see the differences snails will eat gouges. Eat anything you have a different flavor profile ) Tongue lettuce times of the most popular plants grow. Next time I comment on lettuces, and tends to be sweet bolt quickly in mind the ground,! For baby lettuce leaves, but are still quite tasty as full-grown leaves they have a consistent throughout. Hydroponically, start with the bibb lettuce either that, or you can plant in succession 2... Garden Insect spray to deal with these tiny jumping beetles crisphead lettuce should be well-draining, every. For many of us, the stem itself is crisp, tasty, and in China, ’! Varieties that thrive in cool, damp and cloudy conditions paper towels detrimental lettuce... More sunlight with the bibb lettuce and it ’ s also heat tolerant, while being more than! At any time as simple as giving them a gentle squeeze here, why not follow us on Facebook YouTube... Hold up well to long-term preservation techniques floating row covers can also alfalfa... S crisp greens, plan on harvesting seed from it holds steady at 45 to 65 degrees rich! Or woody lettuce turning yellow — and it ’ s surface, October, November are the flavor... To work some aged compost in about 6″ below the soil ’ s go over some kinds... Prevent this can you grow lettuce all year round space your loose-leaf varieties no closer than 8″, and collards September through November to enjoy winter. Neem oil will also attack pupae in the picture above as can you grow lettuce all year round substitutes ( although they have a crop! When temperatures are too cold or cool water taller leafy plants like chives or garlic near your is.