Lettuce should be transplanted when the plants are between 2-3 inches tall. You should harden off your lettuce plants 7-10 days before transplanting.
If you’re growing a heading variety you may want to consider starting your lettuce indoors and transplanting seedlings out.
- Better germination.
- No wasted space.
- More time.
How old should seedlings be before transplanting?
The ideal time for transplanting your seedlings is about 3 weeks after they sprout or when you have 1-2 sets of true leaves. It’s better to get them in new containers before they start to show the signs of stress listed below.
Can you plant leggy lettuce seedlings deeper?
Generally, yes, you can plant leggy seedlings deeper in the soil to help compensate for the extra-long stems! However, avoid the temptation to plant them deeper right away, when they’re still very young and tender. Weak, thin, small stems may rot once they’re buried in damp soil.
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.
Can you transplant seedlings too early?
What happens if you transplant seedlings too early? If they are transplanted too early, seedlings are at a much greater risk of dying from a late spring cold snap. Even hardy starts will likely die if the temperature goes below freezing for any length of time.
How big should my plants be after 2 weeks?
How Big Should My Weed Plants be After 2 Weeks? In most cases your plant should be around 2 to 3 inches tall with 2 to 3 sets of leaves including the cotyledons (seed leaves which are rounded).
How big should seedlings be before thinning?
about 3 to 4 inches
Seedlings should have at least two pairs of true leaves and be about 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.) tall before thinning. Evening hours are a good time to thin seedlings as the cooler temps and darker conditions make it easier for the remaining seedlings to bounce back from any stress they may have received.
How many lettuce seeds do you plant in one hole?
2-3
Indoors, plant one per hole for fresh seeds, or 2-3 per hole if they’re old. Plant the seeds – Sprinkle the seeds over the top of the garden soil or indoor trays, or plant them no more than 1/4″ deep. Water the soil – Use the lowest setting on your garden hose outdoors, or water the indoor trays from the bottom.
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.
How often do you water lettuce seeds?
Watering Lettuce Seeds
Place your lettuce seeds about one and a half to two inches below the soil. The soil covering the seeds should not be densely packed. Water every other day at the most. You could easily water twice a week when sprouting lettuce plants to increase your chances of healthy plants.
Can I just scatter lettuce seeds?
Lettuce seeds need light to sprout, so barely cover the seeds with a thin sifting of soil. You can scatter seed over a garden bed, row, or a container. Once the lettuce is up and growing, thin the little plants so that they have about seven inches between them.
Why are my lettuce seedlings falling over?
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.
How deep do you plant lettuce seedlings?
Plant seeds 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch deep. Lettuce seeds need light to germinate, so don’t sow them too deep. Seed may be sown in single rows or broadcast for wide row planting (loose-leaf varieties are best for this).
Why are my lettuce seedlings so tall?
At the most basic level, leggy seedlings are caused by a lack of light. It could be that the window you are growing your seedlings in does not provide enough light or it could be that the lights you are using as grow lights aren’t close enough to the seedling. Either way, the seedlings will get leggy.
How do I make my seedling stem thicker?
You can get thicker stems on your plants by providing them with the required amount of sunlight, water, aeration, nitrogen, and space. The most common reason your plants don’t grow thick stems is due to a lack of sunlight. You need to learn about your plant requirements to grow them better.
How cold is too cold for lettuce?
Lettuce may cope with light freezing and even one or two hard freezes, but once the thermometer reads 25°F or below, the plants are in danger. That level of cold causes ice to form in the plant tissue, regardless of the amount of moisture in the air.
How cold can lettuce seedlings tolerate?
The largest of these lettuce seedlings are developing their first true leaves. 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.
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.
How often should I water seedlings?
once a day
Seedlings should be watered once a day or every other day, depending on how much sun and heat they get. Remember that seedling roots are fairly close to the surface and they’re growing in a small amount of media, so they don’t need a deep soak the way larger plants do.
How do you transplant seedlings without killing them?
The instructions are simple:
- Water your soil and prepare a hole for the new seedling.
- Immerse the seedling’s entire pot in water (above the dirt line), and keep it under water until no more bubbles rise to the surface.
- Turn the pot upside down and carefully dump the plant into your hand.
How do you keep seedlings from getting leggy?
There are four surefire ways to prevent your seedlings from becoming leggy and they all involve light manipulation.
- Provide direct light.
- Provide artificial light.
- Adjust supplemental light.
- Brush the seedlings gently with your hand or a ruler several times a day to strengthen the stems.