Especially in the last few years, it has climbed steeply up the popularity scale. Growing it yourself in your own garden does not pose any dizzying challenges for gardeners: the cut lettuce is considered frugal and promising in terms of cultivation and yield.
How can you successfully grow and harvest lettuce?
Cut lettuce can be sown in cold frames from the end of February or outdoors from the beginning of April. It prefers sunny to partially shaded locations and nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil. Harvesting takes place 6-7 weeks after sowing by cutting off the outer leaves.
When will sowing start?
Cut lettuce can be sown in the cold frame at the end of February. Cultivation outdoors begins at the beginning of April. At this point, however, as a precaution, the young plants should be covered with fleece (€6.00 on Amazon) or foil to protect against frost.
It is also possible to grow lettuce at home and plant the young plants towards the end of April. This procedure usually involves a lot of effort and ultimately does not result in greater harvest yields.
How do the first steps work?
There are cut lettuce varieties for spring cultivation and for summer cultivation. Both varieties are sown in batches in rows. The most important thing is that the seeds are close together. In addition, the seeds should only be lightly sprinkled with soil - they are light germinators. Later on, the young plants can be easily thinned out.
Complicated location requirements?
Cut lettuce requires a sunny to partially shaded and warm location. It quickly succumbs to extreme heat, which is why a partially shaded spot is preferable to one in full sun in summer. His claims regarding the soil are as follows:
- high nutrient and humus content
- fresh to moderately moist environment
- loose structure and high permeability
- no acidic, dry and nitrogen-rich substrates
Of good and bad neighbors
Cut lettuce doesn't like to make friends with neighbors like parsley and celery. However, it gets along well with most other garden plants. The most suitable neighboring plants include:
- Cabbage family
- Pulses such as beans and peas
- Onions
- Strawberries
- Radishes and radishes
- Beetroot
- Dill
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
How and when is the harvest done?
The harvest takes place 6 to 7 weeks after sowing. When cutting lettuce, the young, outer leaves are cut off. The heart leaves remain so that new leaves can grow. As a rule, the leaves should be 15 to 20 cm high at harvest time. They are cut 2 to 3 cm above the ground and from the outside in.
Tips & Tricks
So that the harvest period is extended, it is advisable to reseed every 3 to 4 weeks.
