Lettuce is a common vegetable with crisp, juicy leaves, rich in vitamins and minerals, and is a highly nutritious ingredient. Lettuce can be eaten raw, cold, stir-fried, made into soup, hot pot, salad, etc., and it can be eaten in a variety of ways and delicious. Lettuce is not only delicious, but it is also easy to grow, as long as you master a few simple methods, you can grow fat lettuce at home and enjoy a steady stream of green food. So, how do you grow lettuce?Here's how to grow fat lettuce step by step.
Lettuce prefers a cool climate and is not tolerant to high temperatures, so it is generally planted in spring and autumn. Spring planting generally begins in February-April and harvests in May-June, while autumn planting can begin at the end of August and harvest in September-October. Of course, different varieties of lettuce have different characteristics, some are more heat-resistant, and some are more cold-resistant, so when choosing a sowing time, you should first understand the instructions of the lettuce seeds you bought, and then sow them in combination with the above sowing time. Generally speaking, spring and summer are suitable for sowing loose leaf lettuce (such as cream lettuce, color leaf lettuce), which is more heat-resistant, and autumn and winter are suitable for sowing bulb lettuce (also called lettuce), which is not heat-resistant.
Lettuce requires clayey loam soil rich in organic matter, strong water retention and fertility, lettuce likes slightly acidic, and the soil pH value is 5-7. For every 1000 kg of lettuce produced, nitrogen needs to be absorbed25 kg, phosphorus 12 kg, potassium 45 kg, of which the bulb lettuce needs more potassium. Therefore, before planting lettuce, the soil should be improved and fertilized to improve the fertility and air permeability of the soil. Here's how:
Turn the soil deeply, loosen the soil, remove weeds and stones, and make the soil delicate and soft.
Apply a sufficient amount of organic fertilizer, such as well-rotted farmhouse fertilizer, compost, green manure, etc., apply 3000-3500 kg per mu, deep turning and mixing evenly, and increase the organic matter content of the soil.
Apply an appropriate amount of chemical fertilizer, such as compound fertilizer, ammonium sulfate, superphosphate, potassium sulfate, etc., apply 15-20 kg per mu, according to the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium 2:1:2, deep turning and mixing evenly to provide the nutrients required by lettuce.
Watering the bottom water thoroughly allows the soil to fully absorb water and fertilizer, increases the moisture and temperature of the soil, and is conducive to the germination and growth of lettuce.
There are two methods of sowing and raising lettuce, one is the direct seeding method and the other is the seedling transplanting method. The direct seeding method is to sow seeds directly on the planting ground, and the seedling transplanting method is to sow seeds on the seedbed first, and then transplant them to the planting ground. The two methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, the direct seeding method saves time and effort, but it is easy to be affected by pests and diseases, and the quality and yield of lettuce are not high;Although the seedling transplanting method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, it can improve the survival rate and quality of lettuce, and can save seeds and land. The specific steps of each method are described below.
On the prepared soil, according to the amount of 25 kg per mu, evenly sow lettuce seeds, and a small amount of fine sand can be mixed into the seeds to facilitate uniform sowing.
After sprinkling, cover 03-0.5 cm thick fine soil, gently compacted, to maintain close contact between the soil and the seeds, conducive to germination.
Cover with moisturizing materials such as mulch film or straw to prevent the soil from drying out, maintain the right temperature and humidity, and promote seed germination.
Check the moisture of the soil every day, water it in time, keep the soil moist, but not too wet, to prevent the seeds from rotting.
When the seeds begin to germinate, remove the mulch in time to allow the seedlings to adapt to the light and prevent overgrowth.
When the seedlings grow to 2-3 true leaves, according to the spacing of 6-8 cm between the rows, the seedlings are divided, and the excess seedlings are cut off, leaving robust seedlings to ensure the growth space of lettuce.
In the selection of a piece of water, fertilizer retention, fertile sandy loam place, as a seedbed, the bed soil is prepared as follows: 10 square meters of seedbed with 10 kg of rotted organic fertilizer, ammonium sulfate 03 kg, superphosphate 05 kg, potassium sulfate 02 kg, mix well and evenly spread the rake finely, water the bottom of the water, and sow after water infiltration.
According to 0. per square meter3-0.The amount of 5 grams should be evenly sown with lettuce seeds, and a small amount of fine sand soil can be mixed into the seeds to facilitate uniform sowing.
After sprinkling, cover 03-0.5 cm thick fine soil, gently compacted, to maintain close contact between the soil and the seeds, conducive to germination.
Cover with moisturizing materials such as mulch film or straw to prevent the soil from drying out, maintain the right temperature and humidity, and promote seed germination.
Check the moisture of the soil every day, water it in time, keep the soil moist, but not too wet, to prevent the seeds from rotting.
When the seeds begin to germinate, remove the mulch in time to allow the seedlings to adapt to the light and prevent overgrowth.
When the seedlings grow to 2-3 true leaves, according to the spacing of 6-8 cm between the rows, the seedlings are divided, and the excess seedlings are cut off, leaving robust seedlings to ensure the growth space of lettuce.
When the seedlings grow to 4-5 true leaves, they can be transplanted to the planting ground, and the root system of the seedlings should be protected when transplanting, to avoid damage, and to be watered in time after transplanting to help the seedlings adapt to the new environment.
Whether it is the direct seeding method or the seedling transplanting method, the lettuce should be properly managed to ensure the healthy growth and high yield of lettuce. The main contents of management include:
Watering: Lettuce has a high need for water, so keep the soil moist, but do not accumulate water to prevent root rot. Generally, water once in the morning and evening, watering should be even, do not wash the seedlings, and do not wet the leaves, so as not to cause diseases. Before the lettuce balls, it is necessary to increase the amount of water appropriately to promote the growth of lettuce, and after the lettuce balls, it is necessary to appropriately reduce the amount of water to prevent the balls from cracking.
Fertilization: The growth period of lettuce is short, and top dressing is generally not required, but if the soil fertility is insufficient, nitrogen fertilizer, such as urea, can be applied once when the lettuce grows to 5-6 true leaves, 10-15 kg per mu, watering and leaching, and promoting the growth of lettuce stems and leaves. Before the lettuce balls, you can apply potassium fertilizer again, such as potassium sulfate, 10-15 kg per mu, watering and leaching, to promote the spherical shape and quality of lettuce.
Weeding: The competitiveness of lettuce is weak, and the weeds in the field should be removed in time to prevent weeds from seizing water and nutrients and affecting the growth of lettuce. Be careful when weeding, do not damage the roots and leaves of the lettuce, and do not bury the center of the lettuce and affect the balling.
Pest and disease prevention: Common diseases of lettuce are gray mold, blight, powdery mildew, anthracnose, etc., and common insect pests are aphids, jumping beetles, mites, butterflies, etc. The methods of disease prevention and control include: selecting disease-resistant varieties, crop rotation or intercropping, keeping the soil and leaves dry, cleaning up the diseased residues in time, spraying biological pesticides or low-toxicity pesticides, such as chlorothalonil, methyl tobuzin, carbendazim, etc. The methods of insect pest control include: choosing insect-resistant varieties, using yellow sticky boards or banana peels to trap insect pests, catching pests in time, spraying biological pesticides or low-toxicity pesticides, such as avermectin, imidacloprid, insecticidal double, etc.
Harvesting: Lettuce is generally harvested about 40-60 days after sowing, depending on the variety and climate. Generally, lettuce can be harvested when it is spherical and full, the leaves are thick, and the color is bright. When harvesting, it is necessary to choose early and evening or cloudy days to avoid direct sunlight, which will affect the quality. When harvesting, a sharp knife should be used to cut off along the lower part of the bulb, and a part of the root system and leaves should be retained to prevent the bulb from cracking and be conducive to preservation. After harvesting, it should be cleaned in time to remove soil and impurities, and then put it in a plastic bag or crisper box, put it in the refrigerator or a cool and ventilated place, store it, and eat it as soon as possible.
The above are the methods and steps for planting lettuce, I hope it will help you. Thank you for reading, I wish you success in growing and enjoy the delicious lettuce.
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