Lettuce Seeds

Lettuce

(Lactuca sativa)

Rarely do we encounter a garden without at least a row or bed of lettuce at some point during the season. Being relatively easy to grow & so incredibly popular worldwide its no wonder lettuce adorns just about every garden we come across. With home grown lettuce (especially leaf lettuce) packing so many nutritious compounds, its sad to say that its store bought counterpart does not hold the same nutritious value. That’s reason enough to plant a row or bed & follow with a successive planting every couple weeks for a constant supply throughout the growing season.

Lettuce does best in relatively cool temperatures making spring & fall the best times to plant it in most regions. Sprinkle seeds on the surface of the soil & keep it damp until it sprouts. Plant successions every two weeks for a continuous harvest.

Lettuce is susceptible to a host of insect & other issues. The good news is lettuce grows incredibly fast, so destruction & replanting is generally the best way to deal with any problems that may arise. By far, aphids & fungal diseases are the most common problems gardeners will face. Remove affected plants at first sign of aphid infestation. If fungal diseases arise, simply destroy the crop (with fire) & plant the next succession in a different location, rotating back to the original location after at least a couple weeks of rest.

Cabbage loopers, armyworms, & numerous other worms are fairly easily controlled with the application of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). But again, destruction of the current crop along with the worms is the best way to go most of the time.