Cover with a very thin layer of compost or vermiculite. Thin seedlings out when they’re big enough to handle and keep the compost moist. protect from slugs and snails. Lettuce takes up to 10 weeks to grow – you can pick loose-leaf lettuce varieties from six weeks, and at 10 weeks for hearting types.
When can lettuce seedlings be planted outside?
Lettuce loves cool weather. You can begin planting leaf, romaine and butterhead lettuce as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Depending on the variety, lettuce germinates in temperatures between 40 to 85 degrees F.
Do lettuce plants need to be covered?
Grow lettuces in full sun in moisture-retentive soil. Early and late sowings may need protection against cold, using cloches, plastic tunnels or horticultural fleece.
Should I cover my lettuce seeds?
Direct sowing lettuce seeds
Don’t sow the seeds too deeply as they need light to germinate. Cover them with a thin layer of soil. Once the seedlings are growing well, thin to ten to twelve inches.
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 do you take care of lettuce seedlings?
Moist, but not wet, soil with good drainage is key. When your lettuce is thirsty it will wilt in the sun. Give its roots a drink right away along with a splash of cool water on the leaves to keep them happy on hot days. Use row covers to shade the leaves, and mulch to keep roots cool as the season progresses.
What temp kills 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.
Can lettuce plants survive 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.
What month do you 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.
Does lettuce need darkness to germinate?
Lettuce seeds must be exposed to light to grow into seedlings. You can sprinkle them on soil or vermiculite and then cover them with a thin layer of soil or vermiculite. Carrots: much like lettuce, to get carrot seeds to germinate, expose them to light by sprinkling them on the surface of the soil.
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.
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.
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.
Can lettuce seedlings survive snow?
Because this vegetable is frost-hardy, lettuce should handle the cold pretty well. Typically, your plant can survive light freezes, meaning the temperature drops between 28 and 32 degrees.
How do I protect my seedlings from frost?
Cover Seedlings
Place cloches over young vines and veggies (such as tomatoes and peppers) in the spring to protect them from late frosts. If the temperatures are expected to hover around the freezing mark, cover long rows of seedlings lightly with loose straw or mulch to help the soil retain heat a bit longer.
How often do you water lettuce seedlings?
Grow. 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 big should seedlings be before transplanting?
about 2-3 inches high
Before you Transplant. As noted above, make sure that your seedling is about 2-3 inches high before transplanting. We also recommend transplanting a seedling after its two “true leaves” first come out. True leaves are the leaves that grow after the initial seed’s cotyledon leaves come out.
Can you over water lettuce?
If you part the soil to observe the roots and they look brown or black, or feel mushy, you are probably overwatering your lettuce. Lettuce can be overwatered. Overwatering lettuce plants leads to root rot and discoloration. Avoid watering during rainy seasons.
Does lettuce need warmth to germinate?
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. Lettuce seed will germinate at 35°F, but optimum germination is 70 to 75°F.
How many days does it take for lettuce seeds to germinate?
7-15 days
Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-22°C (50-72°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-15 days, depending on conditions. Lettuce seeds don’t sprout easily when the soil temperature is over 22°C (72°F) in summer.
When should I start lettuce seeds indoors?
(Garden soil is heavier than potting soil, and will not drain adequately in a pot.) For a jumpstart on the spring garden, start lettuce seeds indoors 3 to 4 weeks before your area’s last hard frost — which is around 28 degrees overnight.