A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Time and Methods for Spring Lettuce
Spring lettuce is a vegetable of the Lactuca genus (lettuce), with leaves making up most of the plant and a relatively short stem hidden by the leaves; the kind that grows into a ball shape is also called head lettuce. So how should spring lettuce be planted? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction.
1. Planting time
Spring, as the name suggests, is a vegetable that comes to market in spring, so its sowing time is mostly between October and December; after overwintering, it can be brought to market in spring and served on people's tables. However, because temperatures in the north are generally lower and unsuitable for the growth of spring lettuce, it is generally sown after the soil thaws; of course, greenhouse technology can also be used for cultivation.
2. Land preparation and fertilization
To help it grow well, choose loam soil that is fertile, well drained, and has not grown cruciferous crops for many years. Before planting, plow it several times, harrow it fine, and level it. For plots that have never been planted with vegetables, scatter 150 kg of lime per mu before plowing; this has an excellent disinfecting and sterilizing effect and kills underground pests. During the second plowing, apply base fertilizer; generally apply 3,000-4,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu plus a nitrogen-phosphorus compound fertilizer, scatter it, then plow, and make beds ready for planting.
3. Planting methods
When sowing, broadcasting or drilling can be used; generally about 25 per mu is used for seed. Broadcasting means evenly scattering the seeds on the bed surface, then covering with a thin layer of soil, watering, and covering with grass to keep warm and moist so as to help germination. Drilling means opening furrows on the bed surface at a row spacing of 20-30 cm, evenly sowing the seeds into the furrows, then covering with soil, watering, and covering with grass. Generally, under suitable temperature, moisture, and field conditions, the seeds will sprout quickly. When most of the seeds have sprouted, remove the covering grass promptly to avoid forming leggy seedlings.
4. Seedling management
When the seedlings grow 1-2 true leaves, begin thinning, removing the densely growing seedlings. At the second thinning, when the seedlings have 3-4 true leaves, remove spindly seedlings, weak seedlings, seedlings without hearts, diseased seedlings, and other inferior seedlings, keeping the seedling spacing at 3-5 cm. When the seedlings grow to 5-6 true leaves and are more than 10 cm tall, final thinning is done, with a seedling spacing of about 6-7 cm. When thinning and final thinning, weed at the same time. During the seedling stage, water promptly during drought to keep the soil moist, but do not water too much to avoid root rot. At the same time, topdress according to the growth condition of the seedlings; generally at the 4-leaf stage, according to seedling condition, apply 2-3 kg of urea per mu, watered on, and before transplanting apply about 4-5 kg of urea again.
The above is an introduction to the planting time and methods of spring lettuce. I hope it can help you. To learn more about personalized early-maturing varieties, please keep following us.