Lettuce

Lettuce is a tasty and nutritious cool-season crop.

Time to harvest: 45-100 days

Lettuce is a great addition to any garden, and are often used in a myriad of salads, sandwiches, and wraps. They are crunchy and have a neutral taste that bodes well with meat and richer sauces.

Planting

Lettuce grows best in cool weather conditions, so it should be planted in spring and early fall. However, if they're planted in a greenhouse in late August, cabbage can survive to be harvested in the winter. The best soil temperature for lettuce to grow in is 10 to 22 degrees Celsius. It's recommended that they are planted 0.25 inches deep into the soil.

Growth Guidelines

Heading lettuce should be thinned 1 feet apart and looseleaf lettuce should be thinned 4 inches apart. The plants need to fertilized 3 weeks after transplanting with organic fertilizer rich in nitrogen. Lettuce does not like intense heat, so it should be planted next to taller plants such as tomatoes or corn or in a cooler, shadier location.

Harvesting

Lettuce grown during the summer stays fresh for a short period of time, so it needs to be harvested promptly.