Lettuce Great Lakes Vegetable Seeds

About Lettuce Great Lakes

Lettuce greens are so easy to grow, so nutritious, and so delicious picked fresh from the garden, that everyone should grow them. Grow lettuce in the vegetable garden, tuck it into flowerbeds, or cultivate it in containers.

With regular watering, shade from hot sun, and succession planting, you can enjoy home grown lettuce almost year-round in much of the country. From baby leaf lettuce to big, crisp heads, lettuce is easy to grow in spring and fall, when the soil is cool. Leaf colour and texture vary with variety. All types of lettuce grow best when the soil is kept constantly moist, and outside temperatures range between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dispatch Within

3 days

Seeds Specifications

Planting And Care

• You should be able to sow additional seeds every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout the growing season
• Fertilize 3 weeks after transplanting
• Lettuce prefers soil that is high in humus, with plenty of compost and a steady supply of nitrogen to keep if growing fast
• Use organic alfalfa meal or a slow-release fertilizer
• To plant a fall crop, create cool soil in August by moistening the ground and covering it with a bale of straw
• A week later, the soil under the bale will be about 10 degrees F (6 degrees C) cooler than the rest of the garden
• Sow a three foot row of lettuce seeds every couple of weeks, just rotate the straw bale around the garden
• Make sure soil remains moist but is well-drained
• An organic mulch will help conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and keep soil temperatures cool throughout the warmer months
• If the leaves are wilting, sprinkle them anytime even in the heat of the day to cool them off and slow down the transpiration rate
• Weed by hand if necessary, but be careful of plant roots: They are shallow
• Planning your garden so that lettuce will be in the shade of taller plants, such as tomatoes or sweet corn, in the heat of the summer, may reduce bolting

Lettuce Great Lakes Care

• Before you plant your lettuce seeds, make sure the soil is prepared
• It should be loose and drain well so it is moist without staying soggy
• To keep the soil fertile, feed it with organic matter about one week before you seed or transplant
• Since the seed is so small, a well tilled seedbed is essential
• Large clods will reduce germination
• Direct sowing is recommended as soon as the ground can be worked
• Plant seeds half an inch deep
• Snow will not hurt them, but a desiccating cold wind will
• If you want an earlier crop, however, you may start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before last spring frost date for an earlier crop
• Harden off seedlings for about one week, and transplant outside between 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after last spring frost
• Seed may be sown in single rows or broadcast for wide row planting
• When broadcasting, you will need to thin for the proper spacing
• Lettuce takes 65 to 120 days to mature from seed germination through harvest

Lettuce Great Lakes Special Feature

Foliage

Lettuce Great Lakes Uses

Ornamental Use:

• The plant can be grown for its foliage

Medicinal Use:

• Lettuce contains moisture, energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and sugars
• The minerals and vitamins found in lettuce include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc along with vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B-6, C, A, E, and vitamin K
• Note: Please consult your health expert

Culinary Use:

• Most lettuce is used in salads, either alone or with other greens, vegetables, meats and cheeses
• Romaine lettuce is often used for Caesar salads, with a dressing that includes anchovies and eggs
• Lettuce leaves can also be found in soups, sandwiches and wraps, while the stems are eaten both raw and cooked