The number of varieties of lettuce exceeds a thousand, but every year breeders produce new ones. We have the least common head lettuce, although it can be easily grown in the garden. And if the cobs do not tie, you can eat even rosettes of leaves.
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – May 19, 2021 – Agriculture
Lettuce can be sown from April to November. But not all varieties.
Groups of salad varieties
The first includes varieties in which a long day causes stalking. These are usually early varieties and varieties intended for growing in a greenhouse and under the film.
The second group includes summer varieties that are neutral to the length of daylight. They can be sown at least throughout the summer.
The third group occupies an intermediate position. These are usually the most unpretentious varieties that can be sown all year round. And you can harvest at least before flowering.
Choose a salad for the leaves
Varieties are divided by leaves. It can be crispy, oily, smooth, bubbly, etc.
Cold resistance and precocity – the main qualities of lettuce. More than three crops can be harvested from the same bed. In addition, lettuce heads tolerate transportation well and, unlike other leafy vegetables, can be stored for a long time. Salad is not afraid of frost. Its seedlings tolerate frosts down to -8 ° C. Therefore, it can be sown immediately after a snowfall.
The secret of the great cob
Proper landing
Often coleslaw is mistakenly sown densely, like leafy varieties. Under such conditions, the cobs are not tied and the salad gives only leaves.
The main rule for obtaining a cob – a large area. To do this, lettuce is sown according to the scheme 20×20 cm, and for large-headed late-ripening varieties, the planting scheme is increased to 30×30 cm.
The depth of sowing depends on its timing. In the case of early spring sowing, the seeds are laid 1-2 cm, and later sowing – 3-4 cm. For sowing, cob lettuce chooses a warm place like the south side of the fence or buildings. It is not necessary to plant a salad in the shade – there the salad ripens much later.
The right soil
Lettuce works best on sandy soils. On clay soils and those covered with a dense crust, salads do not work. The same applies to areas with acidic soil. Lettuce loves neutral soil. Therefore beds for it need to be limed periodically.
Taking into account the predecessors on the site and using lettuce as a sealant
Of the predecessors, only cabbage should be avoided. Head lettuce is a sprinter plant: only five to seven weeks pass from sowing to harvesting. Therefore, it can be safely used as a sealant in crops of cucumbers, carrots, onions, potatoes, and other vegetables.
It is very convenient and profitable to place the salad between the rows of strawberries.
Read also: A Banker Quit His Job and Started Growing Strawberries
Source: Ukrgate