How Does Lettuce Grow?
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Popular Crop
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Lettuce is a popular vegetable used in salads. There are three main kinds of lettuce: head lettuce, leaf lettuce and romaine or cos. Lettuce farming is believed to have begun in Persia, around 550 B.C. Today it is a popular crop in the United States. It grows well in temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees F. In the northeastern United States, lettuce growers usually plant their lettuce in the spring for a summer crop. Southern and southwestern farmers plant in the fall or winter for a spring crop.
Seeds and Seedlings
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Some commercial lettuce growers start their lettuce crop by planting seeds in the fields. Others start their crops off by seedlings that have been started in a greenhouse. The seedlings are then transplanted to the fields. Some areas of the country grow their lettuce entirely in a greenhouse, which protects the vegetable from the cold and allows for a longer growing season.
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Harvesting
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The edible part of the lettuce grows above ground. When harvesting the lettuce, the workers cut the heads off above the soil. They are normally harvested when the leaves of the lettuce have reached the desired size.
Growing Conditions
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Lettuce should be planted in full sun for the spring and fall, and in partial shade for the hottest part of the summer. The ideal soil for lettuce has a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Seedlings that are between 2 to 3 inches tall are ready to be planted, providing night temperatures do not drop below 25 degrees F.
Time to Mature
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Depending on the type of lettuce, it takes about 40 to 80 days to mature. It is a relatively easy crop to grow, and unused lettuce seeds will last for about 6 years. A 10-foot row should yield around 5 to 10 lbs.
Gathering Seeds
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Lettuce seeds can be collected from an existing crop, but are more difficult to collect than other vegetable seeds. Allow a lettuce plant to produce a seed stalk. It will plumb and flower, which resembles a dandelion. Gather the seeds from the chaff, and use your fingers to separate the seeds.
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