For heads of baby lettuce, you can space the plants a bit closer, at six to eight inches. This technique works well for romaine lettuce which then forms compact heads just six to eight inches tall. When transplanting lettuce seedlings into my garden beds, I like to space them ten inches apart for full-sized heads.
How Big Should lettuce seedlings be before transplanting?
between 2-3 inches tall
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. Bring them outdoors for a few hours, increasing the length of time each day. Prepare your bed by loosening the soil and adding compost if available.
How tall should lettuce seedlings be?
Seed may be sown in single rows or broadcast for wide row planting (loose-leaf varieties are best for this). When broadcasting, thin 1- to 2-inch tall seedlings for the proper spacing. Spacing between plants depends on the variety: Loose-leaf lettuce: Plant or thin to 4 inches apart.
How Big Should lettuce seedlings be before thinning?
When to Thin Lettuce Seedlings. Once your plants have sets of true leaves and have grown a few inches tall you can begin thinning them out. I don’t like to thin too soon because when the plants grow too closely together it is hard to pull them out without disturbing one another.
How much space do lettuce seedlings need?
Space your rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Thin leaf lettuce seedlings to 4 inches apart. Romaine and butterhead lettuce seedlings require 6 to 8 inches between each plant. Removed seedlings can be transplanted or eaten as delicious, tender microgreens.
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.
Will leggy lettuce seedlings survive?
If caught early, they can often be saved by being mindful of proper lighting, heat, and water levels. Starting out with those things in place is obviously the best practice. But if you find that your seedlings are leggy, making some simple adjustments can mean that even your leggy seedlings can survive, and thrive!
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.
Can lettuce grow too big?
ANSWER: Lettuce plants that suddenly start stretching toward the sky and growing extra tall are likely to be bolting. In the bolting stage, a plant stops focusing so much on producing foliage and starts to turn its attention toward reproduction, sending out a flower stalk that will eventually dry to release seeds.
When should I start lettuce seeds indoors?
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.
What happens if you don’t thin out seedlings?
When left un-thinned, seedlings that are in tight quarters will compete with one another for nutrients, water, air, and root space. Those are not things you want to deprive your seedlings of! In addition to concerns about competition, crowding seedlings also increases the risk for disease.
Should I thin out my lettuce seedlings?
Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, you’ll need to ‘thin’ them, reducing crowding in the row. Thinning your plants gives them space to grow to larger leaves and dense hearts. It also reduces competition between the plants for resources and improves air circulation.
How do you transplant lettuce seedlings to bigger pots?
Use a butter knife, narrow trowel, or even just a long nail to prick the seedlings from their containers. If there is more than one seedling in your container, gently tease them apart for repotting. Place them in the new pot, lightly tamping the soil. Have a stack of labels ready to go and give each pot a fresh tag.
Does lettuce grow well in pots?
Almost all the lettuce varieties grow well in pots. As their shallow roots don’t need deep soil, they do best in wide and shallow containers. The pot must have adequate drainage holes in the bottom and should be at least 6-8 inches deep. You can use any material for pots such as plastic, clay, or terracotta pots.
What happens if you plant lettuce too close together?
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) takes up little space and can be edible within a week of planting. However, overcrowding lettuce or planting it in areas with little light can lower your crop yield. There are a few tips to know to grow lettuce in the garden or indoors so as not to waste your time, effort and money.
How close together can I plant lettuce?
Space lettuce plants 6 to 18 inches apart (depending on the variety) in an area that gets an abundance of sun and has fertile, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Improve native soil by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter.
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.
What do leggy seedlings look like?
Seedlings are considered leggy when they grow tall, spindly, and weak looking. The taller the seedling is, the weaker the stem. These seedlings are typically very fragile and may even appear yellow or whitish instead of green.
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.
Why are my seedlings tall and skinny?
Overly high temperatures, such as those maintained over a heating mat or under a humidity (germination) dome, can lead to a rapid growth spurt in seedlings. As soon as the seeds germinate, they respond to the heat by putting up tall, skinny stems before leaf production has a chance to catch up.
When should I pinch back seedlings?
Once seedlings are 3 or 4 inches tall with a good supply of true leaves, I pinch them back. You can use scissors or pruning shears, but thumb and forefinger work just fine. While your seedlings are growing indoors, toughen them up by man-handling them a bit. Regularly run your hand over the tops of the little plants.