To grow cut-and-come-again salad greens you will need good-quality potting soil, some seeds and, of course, a container with drainage holes. You can grow single heads in narrow pots, or grow multiple plants in a wide bowl. Leaf lettuce can be highly textured and vibrantly colored. As the lettuce grows you harvest the leaves as needed. When you purchase seeds, the seed packet should tell you how far apart to space the plants. Should you sow seeds or plant seedlings? There are three types of lettuce for the winter-spring garden in our growing area: Proven looseleaf varieties. It is also super simple. You’ll need 1 to 3 ½ gallons (2-13 L.) of soil depending on the size of your container. A clay pot provides a permeable surface that can evaporate any excess water and prevent soggy roots. Instead, plant a few the first week, then a week later plant a few more. Fill in the space around them with additional soil, making sure to cover the roots completely. Leaf lettuces can be closer together than head types. Cover this up with soil as needed. Some of the leafy varieties can be cut multiple times since there isn’t a head to remove. Many crop plants are grown for their fruits. This really isn’t very different than what you would need to grow other crops, with the exception of a cool location. The soil should stay moist but not damp. Growing lettuce in containers helps avoid the need to weed your garden, risk of bug infestation and other issues that can cause your lettuce to wilt, especially when grown outdoors. There are two main types of butterhead lettuce: Boston and Bibb. The leaves of frisee are very curly and usually vibrantly green. You could also add some vermiculite or perlite for water retention. Growing lettuces in containers require care from leaf eating insects. It matures early and has soft leaves with a mild taste. Not all vegetables grow well in pots, but lettuce doesn't have deep roots, nor is it too large. Hopefully you’ll start with seeds since they are the most economical choice. Today we'll show you how to grow lettuce in pots or containers so you can enjoy lettuce no matter how big or small your space is! Planting seeds weekly will make sure that you don’t run out of lettuce. Growing lettuce indoors is surprisingly easy. Butterhead lettuce is somewhere in between crunchy and tender, with colorful leaves that are tightly packed and fluffy. If you’re interested in thinning out plants and harvesting some lettuce at the same time, check out the video below: This is the fun part! You’ve likely seen romaine lettuce in the grocery store. They can be grown along with lettuce in the same conditions and can be tossed into salads for extra flavor, color, texture and nutrients. Understanding the plant can go a long way in helping you to be successful when growing it. You’re probably thinking “…so?”. Once your seeds have sprouted, you can start fertilizing them. Sometimes when you order seeds from a seed company, the information on the seed packet is limited. Firm-headed types: Plant 16 inches apart. Find the bottom of the head where all of the leaves come together into the stem. Growing lettuce in containers is one of the easiest vegetables for container gardens. Lettuce has shallow roots and responds best to consistent, shallow watering. This post contains affiliate links. Use a sharp knife or scissors to remove individual leaves from leafy lettuce. Crowded plants are prone to problems in vegetable beds, and the problems only get worse in containers. Not only will you learn how to grow vegetables, but you’ll learn all the ins and outs to get started with a successful container garden EVEN IF YOU HAVE A BROWN THUMB! For either seeded or transplanted lettuce, have 12 to 15 inches between each row. Start by deciding how many plants you want in each of the pots. Romaine lettuce is crunchy and is the main lettuce in most Caesar salads. Romaine lettuce creates a head, but instead of a rounded head, it creates an elongated head. A quick flip through a seed catalog will show you that there are numerous types of lettuce available if you’re willing to start seeds. You can find the tip sheet here: Get my free growing lettuce in container tip sheet! If you have an abnormally warm day, you can help prevent bolting by keeping the plant watered. Lettuce does need a lot of room for growth, but can easily … Learn everything you need to know about growing lettuce in containers here! If you can, start with a premium potting mix for veggies like Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix that feeds your plants for their entire growing life.Fill up the container almost to the top, leaving a … Thinning lettuce plants is simple. Seeded lettuce may be planted 2 to 3 weeks earlier. A general rule of thumb is to set transplants one every 4-6 inches. If you’re planting seedlings, you’ll want to change your method slightly. Not to mention the fact that you can purchase prepared lettuce for that much without having to grow it! This is due to a colored coating that seed companies put around the seeds. Some varieties of lettuce, like iceberg or butterhead will take up the most space. Types of Lettuce. Leaf lettuce: Plant 4 inches apart. It can allow an early start because the pots are brought indoors during light freezes and left outdoors during early spring days. Cut at least 3 inches from the root base and set the stump aside. The coating makes it easier to work with them. Find small hydroponics systems for growing lettuce here. For seeds, simply use your finger to poke a hole to the proper depth (varies with variety of lettuce, but usually 1/4″- 1/2″). For growing lettuce, select wide and shallow containers. Butterhead lettuce falls somewhere in between iceberg and leaf lettuce when it comes to appearance. This practice maximizes, gives better control from pests and at the same time gives access to a whole host of varieties that you will never find in you local grocery store. All it needs are a standard potting soil, a little bit of water and lots of sunlight. The leaves will grow back and then you can cut away the entire plant. Lettuce is a cool-season crop. In fact, the ancient gardens of Babylon used hydroponics for many plants. Lettuce grows well in small spaces, and you can have fresh salads all summer long if you have space for just a few pots. Farminence was founded as a way to educate people that are interested in becoming more self-sufficient. If you don’t have a Ruby Tuesdays near you, then you’re missing out. Lettuce can be grown in the shade or under larger crop plants that can provide it shade. Look over your lettuce seedlings. Hydroponic gardening involves growing plants in water, without soil. ‘Set’ AGM:A crisphead lettuce, this is easy to grow and produces large, solid hearts with crisp green leaves. The first thing that comes to mind is maybe your soil is not draining properly and your lettuce is dampening off. The size of the containers should be 6 to 12 inches deep, as lettuce roots need enough space … Choose a lettuce mix marked “cut and come again” for repeat harvests. Lettuce can be grown in many types of containers, including containers that don’t even have soil in them. Leafy lettuce or lettuce that has been cut up will wilt quicker, so plan on using it within a few days of harvesting. TY. Picture a wrung out dish sponge… That’s what your soil should feel like. I like to pull up the smaller seedlings that look less vigorous and leave the stronger looking plants. They do not have to be too deep but a wider surface allows you to grow more lettuce.plants. Find out more information or to grab your copy here: Vegetable Gardening in Containers. Selecting the Right Container. Follow these super simple steps to growing lettuce indoors from scrap: Pick a healthy romaine lettuce for this experiment. Lettuce is a great crop through fall, and container gardening works anywhere—especially small spaces! You can learn more about plant nutrition here. This makes a difference in how you grow lettuce. To view my affiliate disclaimer, click here. Because of that, you’ll need to be able to thin your lettuce plants when the time comes. Growing lettuce in containers makes it easy to bring them inside to grow year round. Cutting the stem and not the head itself will help hold the head together and help extend the shelf life of the lettuce. As soon as the lettuce are ready harvest by cutting for cos and cabbage varieties or by pulling the outer leaves of the loose-leaf varieties. I’ll share my 20+ years of agriculture knowledge with you so that you can feel comfortable raising livestock, gardening, preserving food and cooking delicious meals from scratch. Container growing lettuce is a common practice for small space gardeners such as apartment dwellers. You’ll want to begin by picking a favorite decorative flower pot. It makes much more sense to pay $3.00 for a package of ~40 seeds than it does to pay $3.00 and get two lettuce seedlings. It’s not so much sunlight that matters as much as the temperature of the location. Types of lettuce. Growing lettuce in containers also allows you to control weeds and pests more easily than in a large garde… In many cases, seeds are the most cost-effective option. Don’t pack the potting mix down. As a general rule of thumb, lettuce heads will need 6-12″ of space per plant in a container. Frisee lettuce is fun. apart. Some varieties, like Romaine, take up much less space around them than others. There are so many colors and textures that you can create a lettuce container that is attractive. These lettuce varieties don’t create a ‘head’ of lettuce, but instead a clump of tightly grown leaves. You can expect romaine lettuce to last a little longer in the refrigerator since it creates a head. It’s also very simple to start your own seeds at home. When you’re filling your container, don’t fill it to the top. 4. All Rights Reserved. The most important resource when growing lettuce in containers is water. Then spritz the soil with water. Heads of lettuce can take up as much as 12″ of space, so you’ll need to plan accordingly. It may sound like a new concept, but it’s been used for thousands of years. Lettuce crops don’t take up much real estate vertically, but they do take up considerable space around them. Just in case you’re not, I’ll include instructions for planting seedlings as well. Lettuce is different. ‘Nymans’ AGM:A Cos lettuce with deep read outer leaves and a rich green heart. Although a romaine lettuce can grow in containers as small as a 4-inch pot, growth is optimum in larger containers where the soil doesn't dry as fast and there's room for root growth. Leaf, romaine, iceberg, butterhead, and frisee are the most popular types of lettuce. Lettuce plants thrive in soil that is rich. You will only need a standard potting soil, a little bit of water and plenty of sunlight. If you aren’t, then you’re missing out. Loose leaf lettuces are better suited to pots than head lettuce. Remember, if your plant thinks that it’s spring or summer, it could bolt and will cause it to be bitter and inedible. This means that once the head is ready to be harvested, you’ll cut it off and then replant in order to get more. However, if the plants are healthy there are fewer chances of infestation of pests or diseases. If you don’t want to invest in an elaborate hydroponics or aquaponics system, try your hand at growing in regular containers or small-scale hydroponics systems. Growing lettuce in containers also allows you to control weeds and pests more easily than in a large gardening space and affords quick access when you want some leaves for a salad. Plants grown in the garden need at least an inch per week; lettuce in pots need a bit more. In this article, many suggestions have been made, and this will enable you to be confident … Lettuce is a cool season crop and leaves develop best in cool but not chill temperatures. Some varieties of lettuce, like iceberg or butterhead will take up the most space. Lettuce that has bolted is usually bitter in flavor. Leaf lettuce needs less space than head lettuce so more plants can grow in the container. I don’t know about you, but the lettuce seedlings that I’ve seen in my local garden centers are few and far between. 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