Considering the vegetables that you can plant in November and December, lettuce is the vegetable that can truly be grown anywhere there is light, soil and water.
What is best to plant in December?
Winter bedding plants
Pansies, violas, cyclamen, ivy and heather are all great plants for a winter display. Evergreen grasses are great for adding foliage, texture and height too. My posts on winter plants for pots and plants for winter hanging baskets have loads more plant inspiration.
How late in the season can you plant lettuce?
If you are buying transplants (small plants) from a garden center or nursery, you may plant between 2 weeks before your last spring frost to 2 weeks after your last spring frost. In most regions, it’s possible to plant another crop of lettuce in the fall or even early winter.
How do I grow lettuce in the winter?
Top tips for growing lettuce in winter
- 1 Sow salads in 20cm pots filled with 50% multi-purpose compost and an equal amount of John Innes No 2.
- 2 Scatter seeds thinly over the surface and cover with a 1cm layer of finely sieved compost.
- 3 Firm the surface gently, water and put in a light spot to encourage germination.
What is the best month to plant lettuce?
Lettuce seeds germinate best in the cooler temperatures of spring or fall. If it’s too hot, they won’t germinate. So, the best time to plant lettuce seeds is as soon as the ground is workable in very early spring, or once the temps start to cool down in late summer or early fall.
Can I plant anything in December?
December is a good month for planting flowers like snapdragons and pansies, vegetables such as lettuce, carrots and cabbage, and herbs like rosemary and oregano. You can also plant bulbs in pots such as garlic. However, as the ground is so hard it’s not a good time to plant fruit trees and shrubs.
Can any vegetables be planted in December?
A complete listing of vegetables that can be planted in December and through the winter includes beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collard, endive, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, onion, peas (English and snow), radish, rape, rutabaga, shallot, Swiss chard and turnip
What temperature 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.
Can lettuce be planted before last frost?
Cabbage, lettuce, kale, and spinach will all taste worse after they bolt. Most of these cool season vegetables do best when planted two to four weeks before the last frost. Individual seed packets will offer guidance for specific planting time.
What temperature can lettuce tolerate?
Lettuce is adapted to cool growing conditions with the optimum temperatures for growth of 60 to 65°F. At 70 to 80°F, the plants flower and produce seed. Lettuce can tolerate a few days of temperatures from 80 to 85°F, provided that nights are cool.
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.
Can I plant lettuce in January?
Indoor Vegetables and Herbs:
Cool season cole crops, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and other cooking greens, as well as lettuce, grow quickly and can be started indoors mid-January to be ready to transplant into the garden in about eight to ten weeks, just in time for early spring weather.
Can you grow lettuce in cold weather?
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.
When should I start lettuce?
Lettuce is a cool weather crop and is best grown in spring and fall. The seeds germinate in temperatures as low as 40 F (4 C) but its ideal germination and growing temperature is between 60 and 65 F (16 to 18 C).
How long does it take for lettuce to grow?
Most lettuce varieties mature in 45 to 55 days, allowing many gardeners to plant two or even three crops. But looseleaf and butterhead leaves can be harvested at just about any time in their development. Heading varieties take longer to mature. Romaine takes 75 to 85 days and crisphead 70 to 100 days.
Does lettuce need a lot of water?
ANSWER: Lettuce should be watered not daily but instead about twice a week, or once every four or five days, for most of its growing period. It will need to be watered lightly but more frequently for the first two weeks after planting, perhaps daily, depending on your climate.
Is December too late to plant bulbs?
GARDENING MAGAZINE VERDICT Early autumn is best, but even December plantings can give a decent result.
What seeds can I sow in December?
Sow herb seeds like basil ‘Sweet Green’, dill, chives and mint indoors on your windowsill for winter use. Allow the strongest seedlings to mature for spring planting. Sow winter hardy salad leaves under cover, such as lettuce ‘Winter Gem’ and ‘Arctic King’.
Can I plant onions in December?
Winter onions can be planted any time the ground can be worked – usually between October and December in most climates – or two to three weeks before the first hard freeze. Growing winter onions require full sun, as the onions won’t grow in shade. Plant the onions 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm.)
Can you plant carrots in December?
Carrots are easy to grow; just give them loose, rich soil free of clods and stones and a soil temperature anywhere between 45° and 85°F. That means you can grow carrots just about any time of the year in raised beds or containers—even in winter with the protection of a plastic tunnel.
What veggies do you plant in winter?
Winter vegetables that do well in cool climates
- Cabbage.
- Onions.
- Turnip.
- Beetroot.
- Potatoes.
- English spinach.
- Broad beans.
- Carrots.