Growing lettuce in winter is easier than you think! The key is to select frost-tolerant varieties and pair them with a season extender like a cold frame, mini hoop tunnel, or polytunnel.
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 grown all year round?
website creator Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) – a reliable summer favourite, salad filler and sandwich staple! But it can be grown year round, with very little tender loving care after making sure that there is adequate feed.
Can you grow lettuce inside in the winter?
For most of us, that’s a pleasure reserved for spring through fall. However, salad lovers can grow lettuce indoors, all winter long. Depending upon available sunlight, even urban gardeners can raise a steady supply of your favorite greens on a windowsill or beneath grow lights.
How late in the year can you grow lettuce?
Lettuce can be sown direct outdoors from early spring until late summer, for crops through summer and fall.
What lettuce grows in the winter?
Salanova lettuces for winter
They’re also cold and heat tolerant and have an excellent flavor and texture. There are many varieties of Salanova available to grow but my favorites for winter harvesting include Green Butter, Red Butter, Red Oakleaf, and Green Sweet Crisp.
Can lettuce seeds survive frost?
Lettuce seedlings will generally tolerate a light frost and, unlike most vegetables, continue to grow through the fall when the possibility is a probability in some regions. That said, cold, clear nights may create frost damage in lettuce, especially if the duration of the cold snap is lengthy.
Does lettuce grow back after winter?
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), dill (Anethum graveolens), basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) are just a few examples of the many plants that can return to your garden each year by spreading their own seeds.
What month do you plant lettuce?
Begin planting fall lettuce in late summer so it reaches maturity when the fall air is cool. Head lettuce is usually started indoors or in a cold frame and transplanted in the spring after the last frost date.
How do you grow salad greens in the winter?
All of the salad greens I plant will grow well in a variety of places: Grow in a cold frame outside. Grow under cover in the greenhouse. Bring trays indoors to grow under grow lights.
What veg can you grow indoors in winter?
Think kale, arugula, or collard greens. You can also grow beets, radishes, turnips, or peas as microgreens. You can experiment with different plants. To grow microgreens, soak the seeds and place them in a seedling tray.
How do you grow lettuce indoors all year?
How to Grow Lettuce Indoors for Fresh Salad Greens Year Round
- Seed starting or potting mix.
- Shallow pots, flats, or seed starting containers.
- Lettuce seeds.
- Fluorescent or LED light fixture with bulbs (optional)
- Watering can or unperforated flat.
- Humidity tray (optional)
- See full list «
- High-nitrogen plant food.
How do you grow lettuce in a cold frame?
Cold frames should be placed in a southern-facing location. They perform best when buried down 6 to 12″ inches into the soil. This helps to take full advantage of thermal ground heat. For a great growing medium, fill with 3 to 5 inches of garden soil and compost, or a good organic potting soil.
Can you plant lettuce in November?
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.
How do you pick lettuce so it keeps growing?
Plan to harvest your lettuce leaves in the morning, when they’ll be at their crispest. Cut the outer lettuce leaves about 1 inch above the crown. This protects the crown so the lettuce can continue growing. Cut off the amount of lettuce needed when the leaves reach a length between 3 and 6 inches.
Does lettuce need a lot of water?
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.
Can you grow lettuce in January?
Grow Lettuce in Winter
Personally, I have had success into January. If winter is mild and you harvest the lettuce frequently the cold frame box could keep your lettuce alive until spring. If it’s a harsh winter (such as it was the year we made the cold frame box) my lettuce stayed alive until mid-January.
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 I grow salad leaves in winter?
Most winter salad leaves can grow outside in mild or temperate climates, but you’ll get more leaves if you can offer some protection from the weather, for example by growing salad leaves in a glass or plastic greenhouse, or under row covers. So here’s our pick of the hardiest and most reliable winter salad leaves.
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.
How cold is too cold for seedlings?
32-33°F.
Seedlings, with their tender new leaves, often give up the ghost when temperatures dip to 32-33°F. Tropical plants have differing low-temperature thresholds. Some keel over when temps fall to 40°F; others crumble at 35°F. Other plants are just hardy by nature and can withstand temperatures as low as 18-20°F.