Lettuce grown in the garden can be available for cutting from April to December, with the help of cloches.

Germination time: 6 - 12 days

Time between sowing and cutting:

• loose leaf varieties 6 - 8 weeks
• cabbage and cos varieties 8 - 14 weeks

Depth of sowing: 1 cm

Distance between rows: 30 cm

Thinning:

• water the soil the day before thinning the seedlings
• thin the seedlings when the first true leaves appear
• thin so the distance between plants within the row is 30 cm (but for Tom Thumb & Little Gem 23 cm, for Salad Bowl distance between plants is 15cm.)

Transplanting Lettuce Seedlings:

• plugs are available in garden centers, which can be transplanted into a row easily, if watered well. Or seeds can be sown in plugs which are germinated in a greenhouse.
• seedlings taken from the thinnings, & transplanted, do not do well, because they take a long time to get established. Lettuce should grow quickly if it is to taste good. Seedlings take a long time to get going if their roots are disturbed.

Soil:

• fertile, moist soil, which is not acid, is best for lettuce
• lettuce likes a sunny spot

Care of Lettuce Plants:

• protect the seed rows & the seedlings from birds
• hoe regularly to keep the weeds down
• keep the soil moist

Harvest Lettuce:

• immediatley the heart has formed
• pull the whole plant up & cut off the root and lower leaves

There are 4 types of Lettuce:

• Cos

• Butterhead (cabbage variety)

• Crisphead (cabbage variety)
• Loose leaf