Growing and caring tips for lettuce:

• You should be able to sow additional seeds every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout the growing season
• Fertilize 3 weeks after transplanting
• Lettuce prefers soil that is high in humus, with plenty of compost and a steady supply of nitrogen to keep if growing fast
• Use organic alfalfa meal or a slow-release fertilizer
• To plant a fall crop, create cool soil in August by moistening the ground and covering it with a bale of straw
• A week later, the soil under the bale will be about 10 degrees F (6 degrees C) cooler than the rest of the garden
• Sow a three foot row of lettuce seeds every couple of weeks just rotate the straw bale around the garden
• Make sure soil remains moist but is well-drained
• An organic mulch will help conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and keep soil temperatures cool throughout the warmer months
• Lettuce will tell you when it needs water
• Just look at it
• If the leaves are wilting, sprinkle them anytime even in the heat of the day to cool them off and slow down the transpiration rate
• Weed by hand if necessary, but be careful of plant roots: They are shallow
• Planning your garden so that lettuce will be in the shade of taller plants, such as tomatoes or sweet corn, in the heat of the summer, may reduce bolting

Lettuce Care

• Before you plant your lettuce seeds, make sure the soil is prepared
• It should be loose and drain well so it is moist without staying soggy
• To keep the soil fertile, feed it with organic matter about one week before you seed or transplant
• Since the seed is so small, a well-tilled seedbed is essential
• Large clods will reduce germination
• Direct sowing is recommended as soon as the ground can be worked
• Plant seeds ½ inch deep
• Snow won’t hurt them, but a desiccating cold wind will
• If you want an earlier crop, however, you may start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before last spring frost date for an earlier crop
• Harden off seedlings for about one week, and transplant outside between 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after last spring frost
• Seed may be sown in single rows or broadcast for wide row planting
• When broadcasting, you need to do thinning for the proper spacing