How and when to plant lettuce

Lettuce planting time and month

For lettuce, winter cultivation should be carried out from October to November, spring sowing should be carried out from mid-February to late March, summer sowing should be carried out in the open field from April to early May, and autumn sowing should be carried out from July to September.

When to plant lettuce in spring

Plant lettuce in spring, from mid-February to late March. Choose a high, well-drained, dry plot of land, renovate the soil, apply enough base fertilizer, and cover it with a layer of mulch in preparation for planting.

When to plant lettuce in summer

Lettuce is planted in the summer, from April to early to mid-May. During the high temperature period in summer, proper shade is needed to prevent the seedlings from being damaged. No fertilizer is needed after sufficient base fertilizer is applied. Just apply a thin amount of farm fertilizer once during tillage or weeding. Also, be careful when tilling the soil, as its root system is not well developed, so do not damage its root system.

When to plant lettuce in autumn

The best time to sow lettuce in autumn is from July to September. The temperature is high at this time, making it difficult for seeds to germinate and the seedlings to grow too tall. At the same time, the high temperature and long daylight after sowing will accelerate the differentiation of flower buds and bolting of lettuce.

When to plant lettuce in winter

Plant lettuce in winter, from October to November. Choose cold-resistant, adaptable and late-bolting varieties. If the temperature is low, you need to take warming measures. It is best to plant it in a greenhouse and keep the soil slightly dry.

Lettuce planting methods and steps

Lettuce likes coolness, has a certain degree of cold resistance, but is not resistant to high temperatures. The suitable germination temperature is 15-20 degrees. If the temperature exceeds 30 degrees, it will not germinate. The suitable temperature for seedling growth is 15-20 degrees, and the growth temperature for stems is 11-18 degrees. Flowering and fruiting require higher temperatures, with a suitable temperature of 19-22 degrees. It likes moist soil and needs to be continuously replenished with water during the growth period.

1. Autumn lettuce is generally transplanted by seedling raising. Low-temperature germination is carried out before sowing. After sowing, the seedbed is kept moist. After the seedlings emerge, from removing the film to transplanting, 75% of Benomyl wettable powder can be sprayed 500 times every 7-10 days to prevent damping-off and blight. At the same time, thin out the seedlings at a fixed time and apply potassium fertilizer on the leaves 1-2 times to promote the growth of seedlings.

2. Fertilizer: Apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer after the seedlings have grown, reduce irrigation appropriately, keep the soil moist, apply fertilizer 2-3 times before and after the rosette stage, and apply 30%-40% of decomposed human and animal manure, 3000-4000 kg or 15 kg of urea per mu. Supply fertilizer and water evenly to prevent stem cracking.

3. Intertillage, fertilization and watering after planting. The soil on the ridges tends to become compacted after rain. After the seedlings are planted, intertillage and fertilizer should be applied at the right time to help the seedlings grow, promote root development, increase rosette leaves, and ensure healthy growth of tender stems without them rising too high.

4. To prevent bolting, in order to prevent the stems of autumn lettuce from elongating, the lettuce rows are closed. When the stems begin to swell, you can spray dwarfing agent 2 to 3 times on the leaves to inhibit the length of the stem and increase the weight of the stem. Bolting in the later stage of growth can remove the flower stalks differentiated from the stems and promote stem growth.