HOMESPUN SPROUT

Nothing tastes better than fresh lettuce from the garden. This popular plant is quite easy to grow in gardens or containers. But how do you grow lettuce for a big harvest?

You need to plant lettuce in the fall or early spring when all the frost is gone. You need to plant lettuce when temperatures are between 45 degrees F to 65 degrees F. But some cold varieties can even survive in much lower temperatures.

Seed spacing depends on the lettuce variety. For example, loose leafy varieties should feature plants spread 4 inches apart. Romaine lettuce should be spread at least 8 inches apart while crisphead variety should be set at 16 inches apart. The seeds should be 12 to 15 inches apart.

According to Briana from Backyard Gardeners Network, there are multiple ways to grow lettuce. You can grow lettuce indoors or outdoors in pots or in the garden. Growing lettuce indoors allows you to easier control humidity, temperature, or pest, but it will present unique challenges compared with outdoor growing.

You’re probably now enjoying your harvest from the last summer harvest. It’s a great time to take a break as you await the next planting season.

Well, you don’t want to make one BIG mistake. Neglecting your garden!

As you wait for the growing season, this is the best time to do a soil test. What type of fertilizers are you going to buy? You can only tell this by doing a simple soil test. 

Soil test results reveal the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium present in the soil. This then guides you on the right type of fertilizer and quantities to add to the soil. If you don’t have a soil test, a balanced formula like 13-13-13 fertilizer is a good choice for an initial fertilizer of the year.