Lettuce is a delightful crop to grow in loose rich well drained soil. Lettuce come in many varieties which are sweeter and more tender than the ones purchased in the local market. Everyone seems to like lettuce for dietary salads. Lettuce is a cool weather crop. It can be divided into two categories; head lettuce and leaf lettuce. Growing lettuce in your garden will give you the opportunity to taste fresh flavorful leaves which (unlike iceberg) need little or no dressing. Leaf lettuce and romaine provide flavor and crunch and are excellent salad and sandwich selections.

Care
A full bed of lettuce is hard to keep weed free, so grow lettuce as a companion crop all over the garden where a little space is available. It is much easier to manage weeds using this method. It can be companioned with anything in the garden. Partial shade is beneficial to lettuce preventing tip burn & bitterness. I like it especially companioned with small crop like beets, carrots, onions, radishes & small herbs. Larger varieties like romaine need a little more space than the leaf types but I can always find a spot. I like the idea of being able to go of a trim a few leaves anytime I want a quick salad. I prefer growing lettuce in the fall as many varieties bolt in hot spring and early summers.

Growing
I have never had great success direct seeding lettuce in my beds. I prefer starting mine in small 2¼" pots in late summer for a fall crop. A great lettuce crop begins with large vigorous health seedlings 4 to 6 weeks old, grown in small growing pots. Growing your own seedlings insure quality and varieties not commercially available. Lettuce seedling are seldom found commercially. The seeds should be started about 8 weeks before your average first frost date in your zone, or your planned transplant date. Make sure the seed starting mix is a light sterile soil mix with a liberal portion of Perlite or Vermiculite to maintain moisture. Lettuce needs light to properly germinate so just lay seed on top of soil and lightly sprinkle with soil to cover. Sow your seed no more than 1/8" deep as the seed are very small and difficult to sow. Sow two seeds in each pot, keep the healthiest plant after two true leaves appear. The small seedling can be easily separated but the object here is to produce the best seedling possible. During the day, keep the seedling next to a sunny window after they have germinated. Move to top of the water heater or refrigerator at night if you do not have a greenhouse.

Special Care
A heated greenhouse will produce ideal, controllable growing conditions. I feed my newly emerged seedling every other watering cycle. I prefer feeding my young seedlings with Fish Emulsion or liquid seaweed. After they have grown two true leaves. Transplant potted seedling very carefully. Take care removing seedling from pots. The stems are very fragile when young. Be sure the water the potted seedling well before transplanting. Seeds can also be started by directly sowing into your prepared wide row beds. Lettuce needs light to properly germinate so just lay seed on top of soil and lightly sprinkle with soil to cover. Plant no more than 1/8" deep as the seed are very small and difficult to sow. when seedling have emerged thin to 8" apart. If you have bare spots other seedling can be moved to fill in empty spots. Water the seedling well before attempting to move them 

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