Sow the lettuce at the end of August or the start of September. Replant the little plants in the polytunnel beds in October. Make sure to protect the plants from the cold, from December forward or when the temperature creeps below freezing in the polytunnel.
Can iceberg lettuce survive winter?
A hard frost, when the ground-level temps sink to 28°F or lower, can make plant tissue start forming ice. Lettuce can usually tolerate at least a couple of hard frosts, especially if you’ve taken steps to harden off the seedlings and keep the soil warm.
How do you grow lettuce indoors all year?
For lettuce, a south-facing window is best. Even better: a south-facing bay window. If you don’t have enough light on a windowsill, grow your crop under lights. Specially designed systems tabletop grow lights, are perfect for growing small crops of lettuce.
Which lettuce is best for winter?
A. Hi Joan, the best cold hardy winter lettuce varieties are Cos, Tom Thumb, Little Gem, Lamb’s Ear lettuce, Corn Salad, loose leaf varieties such as oak leaf green and red, mesclun winter greens, there is a hearting variety called Imperial Triumph that is cold tolerant.
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.
What to do with lettuce when it bolts?
You can easily trim bolted lettuce with gardening shears or with a sharp knife, but since the lettuce will be bitter to eat, it’s best to just pull the plants out. You can then replant if it’s early enough in the season.
Does lettuce regrow after winter?
The plants will regrow, and you’ll get one or two more harvests out of that head. While lettuces are predominately a cool-weather crop, there are summer varieties that don’t disappoint. They’re so easy to plant, grow, and harvest that I try to have lettuces in my garden every season.
What temp kills lettuce?
Light freeze – 29° to 32° Fahrenheit will kill tender plants. Moderate freeze – 25° to 28° Fahrenheit is widely destructive to most vegetation.
Does lettuce overwinter?
While lettuce can struggle with frost due to its high water content, lettuce tolerates cold weather very well and with proper management, can be overwintered in some capacity in almost every region.
Will lettuce regrow after cutting?
Head lettuce will die back, but most leaf-lettuce plants renew efforts to produce leaves, if regularly watered after trimming. Results will often be smaller than the original plant, but you may be able to harvest a second, good-tasting crop within as little as two weeks.
Can lettuce be grown in pots?
Almost all varieties of lettuce can be grown in containers. But loose leaf types tend to do better and require less space than full-head varieties. Some are meant to be grown to maturity and harvested only once, while others can be picked in baby-leaf form or harvested a few leaves at a time.
How do you take care of indoor lettuce?
General info
- Light – Lettuce needs a considerable amount of sunlight to grow.
- Temperature – For the quickest growth, keep your plants in a spot where the temperature fluctuates between 60 and 70℉ during the day with about a 10℉ drop at night.
- Water – Being almost 95% water, lettuce needs plenty of moisture to grow.
Can I grow lettuce all year round?
Salad can be grown all year round in a heated greenhouse, but this is rarely economical. A sunny windowsill or conservatory can be successful, provided it does not get too hot. In unheated growing conditions, sowing can begin as soon as light levels and temperatures allow, producing crops from late spring to autumn.
How late in the year can you plant lettuce?
Garden zones with minimum temperatures in the 60s can grow lettuce all year round. Lettuce seeds germinate in temperatures between 40 to 80 degrees F, depending on the cultivar. Active growth takes place when days are between 60 to 70 degrees.
What type of lettuce is cut and come again?
They are often called cut-and-come-again lettuces. Cutting lettuces are mostly nonheading leaf varieties from two groups, Grand Rapids and oakleaf. The Grand Rapids group produces broad, crinkled, and frilly leaves, while the oakleaf varieties have flatter and distinctively lobed leaves.
Will bed sheets protect plants from frost?
Fabric coverings will prevent the freezing air from coming into direct contact with the moisture on the plant while also capturing the heat that is radiating from the ground. Bed sheets or comforters work best for covering large plants and shrubs.
Can lettuce survive snow?
Crops that can survive under snow—but not sustained freezing temperatures or ice–include asparagus, rhubarb, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cress, rutabaga, spinach, endive, horseradish, kohlrabi, kale, leek lettuce, onions, parsley, parsnips, radishes, and turnips.
Can I use a tarp to protect plants from frost?
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.
Can you reverse bolting?
Since bolting often ruins produce flavor and results in plant death, many gardeners work to prevent the process for as long as possible. You can delay bolting (and even temporarily reverse the process for herbs like basil and cilantro) by harvesting frequently and pinching off flowers as soon as they appear.
How do you know when lettuce has bolted?
But when temperatures start to rise, lettuce plants begin flowering, or bolting. You’ll notice the main stem starting to grow tall with lots of space between the leaves. Then, the leaves turn bitter and lose their juiciness. Here’s what you need to know about bolting in lettuce so you can harvest your crop at its best.
Will lettuce reseed itself?
Plenty of common edibles are excellent self-seeders – arugula, Oriental leaves such as mustard, lettuce and radishes all readily self-seed.