Lettuce is tolerant of cold temperatures for short periods of time, although growth will slow down. To protect lettuce in frost-prone areas, plant romaine or butterhead lettuce, which are the most cold-tolerant. When frost is predicted, cover the garden with sheets or towels to provide some protection.
At what temperature should I cover my lettuce?
But they require special measures on the part of the gardener to withstand hard frosts, when the air is colder than 28°F, or during hard freezes, when temps below 25°F last for four or more consecutive hours. If you’re growing your average garden variety lettuce, stay tuned for frost protection tips.
Do I need to cover lettuce seedlings?
Growing lettuce from seed in late summer may require generous artificial shade to help cool the soil for germination. Once days become cooler, the shade can be removed to give plenty of sunlight to young lettuce plants. Lettuce grows best in loose, cool soil with good drainage.
Why do you cover lettuce?
Using row covers can also help to keep lettuce from drying out in the sun. An organic mulch will help conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and keep soil temperatures cool throughout the warmer months.
Will frost damage lettuce?
Lettuce is mostly tolerant of temperatures near freezing for a short period of time, though plants will grow more slowly. Freeze damaged leaves that are not removed from heads may break down, decay, and cause post harvest issues.
Should I cover lettuce plants?
Lettuce is tolerant of cold temperatures for short periods of time, although growth will slow down. To protect lettuce in frost-prone areas, plant romaine or butterhead lettuce, which are the most cold-tolerant. When frost is predicted, cover the garden with sheets or towels to provide some protection.
How do you protect lettuce from frost?
By blanketing your lettuce with a row cover, mulching the ground, and keeping the soil moist you can protect your lettuce from cold temperatures. Just remove your row cover once temperatures rise above freezing so your lettuce can get some sun.
How cold can lettuce seedlings tolerate?
How to Grow: Lettuce is a cool-weather crop that thrives in the temperature range 60-65 degrees F, and if thoroughly hardened, most varieties survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees F. Cold-adapted varieties survive much lower temperatures.
How often should lettuce be watered?
Lettuce has shallow roots, so plants need consistent watering. Check at least twice a week and water if the soil is dry down to 1 inch deep. Containers of lettuce need to be watered more frequently than garden beds, especially in the summer.
Why is my lettuce growing so tall?
ANSWER: Lettuce plants that suddenly start stretching toward the sky and growing extra tall are likely to be bolting. In the bolting stage, a plant stops focusing so much on producing foliage and starts to turn its attention toward reproduction, sending out a flower stalk that will eventually dry to release seeds.
What do you cover a lettuce bed with?
We hang old, ripped pieces of row cover over the lettuce beds to give the plants some shade and protection from battering rainstorms. It also helps to keep the lettuce cleaner. Row covers can be laid right on top of plants and secured around the edges with soil, pins, rocks, or sandbags.
Does lettuce need full sun?
How much sun does lettuce need to grow? Most lettuce varieties enjoy full sunlight. For the best turnout, make sure you plant your lettuce in an area that receives approximately 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Some varieties can also be grown in partial shade, receiving 4 to 6 hours a day.
Do I need to cover lettuce for frost?
Even these cold-hardy greens will need some extra protection if frequently exposed to temperatures in the low 20s and teens. You can protect your cool season crops (including lettuce, which is more easily injured than other greens), by throwing a blanket or row cover over the plants.
Can leaf lettuce tolerate frost?
Lettuce is considered “hard frost hardy,” which means it can withstand frosts below 28 degrees. If the frost continues unabated, however, the cell walls may form ice, and the plant actually freezes. Freezing is irreversible and will kill a lettuce plant.
Is iceberg lettuce cold-hardy?
Iceberg lettuce is a cool weather crop that thrives best in temperatures between 50 to 65°F. It loves the cool nights of northern climates. If properly hardened off and established, the plants can handle hard frosts down to 20°F, but may have some leaf damage.
How cold does it have to be for frost?
32°F
Q: Can frost occur at temperatures above 32°F? A1: No, frost is defined as a layer of ice that forms on surfaces that are at or below 32°F. Sometimes frost can occur on your lawn overnight, even though your thermometer may never have dropped to the freezing mark.
Why are my lettuce seedlings floppy?
Causes of Lettuce Damping Off
Too much moisture is the most common cause of damping off, as it makes seedlings much more susceptible to stem and root infections. Damping off is usually a sign that you are overwatering or that the humidity is too high. The youngest seedlings are the most vulnerable to damping off.
Does lettuce grow winter?
Winter Lettuce
Varieties of winter-hardy lettuce can keep cropping during any mild spell in winter, then again from early spring. Winter lettuces are hardy, tenacious and tasty!
At what temperature should you cover your plants at night?
Cover Plants – Protect plants from all but the hardest freeze (28°F for five hours) by covering them with sheets, towels, blankets, cardboard or a tarp. You can also invert baskets, coolers or any container with a solid bottom over plants. Cover plants before dark to trap warmer air.
Should I cover my plants at 39 degrees?
Frost protection should be removed every day, but row covers can remain in place for weeks or months. When the weather begins to dip, it can affect the plants and shrubs. Plants at 39 degrees can begin to feel the chill and require a cover just to be safe.
Can I cover plants with garbage bags for one night?
Yes – if you secure the plant properly. Garbage bags work to cover plants and protect from frost, but they must not be allowed to touch the plant’s surface. Use stakes and supports to create a tent-like structure over the plant, which will retain warm air. Make sure the trash bag goes all the way to the ground.