Overview
Plant out lettuce throughout the summer to ensure a continuous supply of salad. You can grow your own young plants from seed or buy them from nurseries and garden centres. Lettuce makes an ideal quick crop to grow between other vegetables before they mature, or at the front of flowerbeds and in pots.
Do it:
April - September
At its best:
harvest within four weeks
Takes just:
20 minutes to plant
How to do it
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Water young lettuce plants an hour before planting. Knock them from their seed trays or pots, taking care not to damage the roots. Use a length of straight timber or string to keep them in line, where necessary. -
Plant lettuce with a trowel ensuring that the top of the rootball is at the same level as the surrounding soil. Fill soil around the roots and firm it in position using the tips of your fingers.
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Space plants 15cm - 30cm apart (check the label or seed packet for individual instructions). Plant in rows between other vegetables or in blocks. Water well after planting and at two-day intervals in dry weather.
"Planting out young lettuces gives better results in high summer because lettuce seed germinates poorly if sown directly into hot, dry soil."
"Cover transplanted lettuce with horticultural fleece in cooler conditions, or shade netting in warmer months, for four to five days after planting to help them establish and reduce the risk of wilting."
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