How to Plant Lettuce in Containers

Plant lettuce in containers when you lack garden space.

Expand your gardening options by planting typical garden vegetables in containers instead. When you lack garden space, get creative with containers and plant vegetables in a variety of containers to produce a plentiful vegetable harvest. Lettuce will grow happily, whether you plant it in the ground or in a container of rich potting soil. Plant lettuce in containers in early spring or in the autumn to grow an abundant lettuce harvest that will be ideal for making salads.

Things You'll Need

• Planting containers (8-inch diameter and 10-inch depth)
• Potting soil
• Timed-release fertilizer (14-14-14)
• Lettuce seeds or seedlings
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Fill the planting containers almost to the top with potting soil. Add a granular timed-release fertilizer to the potting soil (consulting package recommendations for amounts based on your container size). Mix the fertilizer into the soil well.

2. Plant the lettuce seeds or the lettuce seedlings in the container. If you are planting seeds, plant five lettuce seeds in the center of the container, spacing them approximately 1 inch apart (you will thin later). If you are planting seedlings, place one lettuce seedling in the center of the container, planting it at the same depth as it was previously growing. Cover the seeds with 1/2 inch of soil or cover the seedling roots with soil, tamping the soil down firmly.

3. Water the soil thoroughly after you finish planting until the soil is moist. Place the container in a location that receives full sunlight.

4. Thin lettuce seedlings when they are approximately 3 inches high (if you planted seeds). Remove the weakest seedlings to leave only the strongest lettuce seedling growing in the center of the growing container.

5. Keep the soil evenly moist and do not allow it to dry out between watering.

6. Harvest lettuce leaves when the outermost leaves are approximately 3 inches long. Cut these leaves from the base of the plant with the scissors. Continue to harvest the leaves in the same fashion as they grow to a mature size.

References

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Growing and Preparing Loose Leaf Lettuce