When is the best time to plant lettuce?

Lettuce is a very common rural vegetable . Many farmers grow it at home. However, if you want to make a profit from growing lettuce, you need to pay attention to many details, including the selection of varieties and the appropriate sowing time. Let’s learn and understand together when is the best time to plant lettuce?

When is the best time to plant lettuce?

Spring lettuce: The suitable period for raising seedlings in the greenhouse is from December to March of the following year. The best time to start seedlings outdoors is February to March.

Summer lettuce: The best time for open field cultivation is April to May. From May to July, in order to protect the crops from strong sunlight, shade nets should be used for covering. Summer lettuce can be grown by direct sowing or high-density transplanting.

Autumn lettuce: From July to September, shade nets are often used to cover the crop in order to mitigate the effects of strong sunlight. The recommended method for cultivating autumn lettuce is to first raise seedlings and then transplant them.

Winter lettuce: The suitable time for open-field seedling cultivation is October to November.

Key points for lettuce cultivation

Variety selection: Choose suitable varieties according to the planting season. Early-maturing varieties should be selected for spring planting to meet the cultivation needs of spring planting and summer harvest or summer planting and autumn harvest. For autumn planting, you should choose varieties that are heat-resistant, late-maturing, and not bolting, and are not sensitive to high temperatures and long days.

Sowing time: Spring lettuce is usually planted in the open field in April and May, while autumn lettuce is planted in September and October. In the Yangtze River Basin, autumn lettuce can safely overwinter.

Growing environment: Lettuce prefers a cool environment, is tolerant to semi-cold weather, and is afraid of high temperatures. It is a long-day crop and requires plenty of sunlight. It is sensitive to the acidity and alkalinity of the soil and is suitable for planting in slightly acidic soil.

Soil conditions: Lettuce has shallow roots, weak absorption capacity, and high oxygen requirements. Therefore, the best soil for growing lettuce is loose, well-drained sandy loam.

Water management: Lettuce is sensitive to water and needs appropriate moisture, but not too much moisture. In seasons with large temperature changes, you should choose varieties with lower water content and stronger resistance to stem cracking.

Temperature control: Lettuce seeds begin to germinate at 4℃ and germinate fastest at 15℃. When the temperature exceeds 30℃, the germination rate will slow down or even be hindered. Therefore, when growing in a greenhouse, the temperature in the greenhouse should be controlled by adjusting ventilation measures to promote the healthy growth of lettuce.

Germination treatment: Since lettuce seeds have a hard shell and are difficult to germinate under high temperatures, it is necessary to carry out germination treatment before sowing. Usually, the seeds need to be soaked for 12 to 24 hours, then wrapped in wet sand or gauze and placed in an environment of 10℃ to 20℃ for germination.

In summary, the cultivation of lettuce requires comprehensive consideration of factors such as variety, sowing time, environmental conditions, soil, water and temperature to ensure healthy growth and high-quality output of crops.