In which month can lettuce be planted in the north?

Lettuce is a nutritious vegetable with a crisp taste and is widely loved by consumers. Lettuce is native to the Mediterranean coast and prefers a warm and humid climate, but it is also somewhat cold-resistant, so it can also be grown in the north. So which months can lettuce be grown in the north? Let’s take a look below.

1. Planting time

The planting time of lettuce in the north is divided into spring and autumn. Spring is planting from April to May, and autumn is planting from September to October. Lettuce planted in spring can be harvested in June and July, and lettuce planted in autumn can be harvested from November to before the Spring Festival of the following year. If planted in a greenhouse , the temperature can be adjusted and it can be planted all year round.

2. Seed treatment

When planting lettuce, you should choose varieties that are high-quality, high-yield, highly resistant, widely adaptable, and commercially viable, such as the cold-resistant white leaf tip and the cold-resistant two white skins. Before processing the seeds, soak them in clean water for 1-2 hours, then wrap them with wet cloth and place them in an environment of 20-25℃ to germinate. They will germinate in 3-4 days and can be sown when the germination rate reaches 80%.

3. Arrange the land

When planting lettuce, choose loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam with a deep soil layer, which is conducive to the growth of lettuce stems. Before planting, the land should be deeply plowed to a depth of about 30-40 cm. At the same time, apply an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer or compound fertilizer as base fertilizer. Apply 4000-5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer or 500 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. After turning the soil, it should be leveled and fined to make ridges 1.2-1.5 meters wide and 15-20 centimeters high, leaving 30-40 centimeters ditches between the ridges.

4. Planting seeds into the soil

There are two ways to sow lettuce: broadcasting and hole sowing. Broadcasting is suitable for large-scale planting, while hole sowing is suitable for small-area planting. When sowing, first water the soil thoroughly, then evenly spread the seeds, 1-1.5 kg of seeds per mu. After sowing, cover with 0.5-1 cm of fine soil, and then cover with straw to keep it moist. When sowing in holes, first make holes with a diameter of 3-4 cm and a depth of 2-3 cm on the ridge, put 2-3 seeds in each hole, use 0.5-0.8 kg of seeds per mu, then fill them with soil and water to keep them moist. After sowing, cover with plastic film in time to maintain temperature and humidity and promote germination.

V. Management Measures

(1) Seedling management

After sowing lettuce, it will generally sprout in about 7-10 days. After sprouting, the plastic film should be removed in time to prevent high temperature from burning the seedlings. At the same time, pay attention to ventilation and light, keep the soil moist, and prevent drought and waterlogging. Weeding should be done in time after seedlings emerge to prevent weeds from affecting the growth of lettuce.

(2) Planting management

After the lettuce seedlings emerge, thinning should be carried out to leave the healthy seedlings, leaving 1-2 plants in each hole, with a spacing of about 10-15 cm between plants. When the lettuce seedlings have 5-6 true leaves, they can be transplanted. When transplanting, choose a sunny or cloudy day to avoid high temperatures and strong light. Before transplanting, the soil in the seedbed should be watered thoroughly, then the lettuce seedlings should be pulled out with roots and soil, and transplanted to the prepared land in advance. 1500-2000 seedlings should be planted per mu, with a plant spacing of about 20-25 cm and a row spacing of about 40-50 cm. Water the plants in time after planting to promote rooting of the seedlings.

(3) Fertilization management

Lettuce has a long growing period and requires a lot of fertilizer, so it is important to apply fertilizer in time to ensure the growth and quality of lettuce. Generally, top dressing should be carried out 10-15 days after planting, with 15-20 kg of urea or 25-30 kg of compound fertilizer applied per mu, and some trace elements such as boron, zinc, calcium, etc. When the lettuce stems grow to 10-15 cm, the second topdressing should be carried out. Apply 20-25 kg of urea or 30-35 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. At the same time, attention should be paid to increasing the application of organic fertilizers, such as cake fertilizer, biogas slurry, etc., to increase the freshness and sweetness of the lettuce. When the lettuce stems grow to 20-25 cm, the third topdressing should be carried out. Apply 25-30 kg of urea or 35-40 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. At the same time, pay attention to controlling the application of nitrogen fertilizer to prevent the lettuce from being too thick and old.

(4) Watering management

Lettuce likes a humid environment and has a high demand for water, so pay attention to watering in time to keep the soil moist. Generally, irrigation should be carried out after planting, before topdressing, after topdressing, and before harvesting. The amount of water each time is about 30-40 cubic meters. After irrigation, the accumulated water should be drained in time to prevent the soil from being too wet and causing the lettuce roots to rot. At the same time, pay attention to the time of watering and avoid watering under high temperature and strong light to avoid burns to the lettuce.

(5) Disease and pest control

Common diseases of lettuce include powdery mildew, gray mold, scab, anthracnose, etc., and common insect pests include aphids, flea beetles, mites, lettuce moths, etc. When preventing and controlling diseases, pay attention to promptly removing diseased and damaged leaves, burying diseased plants in time, and spraying pesticides in time, such as carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl, and thiophanate-methyl. When preventing and controlling pests, pay attention to catching and killing pests in a timely manner and spraying pesticides in a timely manner, such as DDT, Dimethoate, and Methioprine. When spraying pesticides, pay attention to the concentration and dosage of the pesticides, and avoid spraying 3-5 days before harvest to avoid pesticide residues.

6. Harvest and Storage

The harvest time for lettuce is generally when the stem grows to 30-40 cm. At this time, the lettuce has the best quality and taste. When harvesting, be careful to pull and place the lettuce gently to avoid damaging the stems and leaves. After harvesting, wash it in time to remove dirt and impurities, then wrap it with a damp cloth, put it in a plastic bag, seal it and put it in the refrigerator. It can be stored for 7-10 days. If you want to store it for a long time, you can cut the lettuce into sections, blanch it with boiling water, then dry it, put it in a fresh-keeping bag, seal it and put it in the freezer. It can be stored for 3-6 months.

The above is an introduction to the months when lettuce can be planted in the north. Lettuce is a delicious and healthy vegetable. It is not difficult to plant. As long as you master the planting time and method, you can reap fruitful results.