How to Grow Lettuce? Detailed Explanation of the Latest Planting Methods and Techniques
Lettuce is one of the vegetables that everyone comes into contact with fairly often in daily life. Whether eaten raw or cooked, it is a good choice, and it has a broad market in our country. However, growing lettuce is not as simple as farmers might think. To grow good lettuce still requires a lot of effort. Now let's learn together with the editor about how lettuce should actually be grown!
1. How to breed
Before planting, lettuce seeds must first be awakened, that is, soaked in water for 4-5 hours. After soaking, do not plant them directly. Place them in a relatively moist environment so that the lettuce seeds come into full contact with the air and the speed of germination is accelerated. Wait until there are signs of cracking on their surface, or about one day, and then they can be put into the seedling nursery. The soil layer in the nursery only needs to be controlled at a thickness of 5-10 cm. It is best to mix some fine sand into the soil to strengthen the soil's air permeability. The soil layer covering the surface of the seeds should not exceed 1 cm. Generally, it is enough to just cover the seeds so that they can fully contact the soil.
2. Field planting treatment
After the seedlings emerge, observe the number of their young leaves. When most of the seedlings in the nursery have 3-4 young leaves, transplanting and field planting can begin. When transplanting seedlings, try as much as possible to ensure that there is soil on the young roots of the lettuce. If there is none, transplant immediately. Therefore, if the transplanting distance is relatively far, try to transplant the soil around the growing seedlings together with them. A little fertilizer should be applied in the planting hole, and then the surrounding soil should be used to cover its roots and stems. Do not press hard; a slight press is enough.
3. Planting management
The one week after field planting requires relatively close attention. During this period, it can be determined whether the transplanted seedlings can survive. If the general growth of the seedlings is unsatisfactory, then it is very likely that the fertilizer is insufficient. Lettuce is relatively prone to pests and diseases, so once there is a tendency toward disease or pest damage, it must be dealt with promptly. If the disease is in the early stage and not serious, you can try removing the affected parts. If this kind of disease still exists, it is best to carry out prevention and control. The same applies to pests.
4. Fertilizer and water
Fertilizer and water are of paramount importance in lettuce growth. Because lettuce grows very quickly, fertilizer and water must be applied relatively frequently. About one week after field planting, begin watering. Later, watering should be controlled at about every 7-10 days, according to local conditions. In places where the soil is relatively moist, the frequency can be reduced; in drier places, it can be appropriately increased, judged by the degree of soil dryness. In the early stage of field planting, if conditions permit, it is recommended to use organic fertilizer; if not, compound fertilizer can be used. Generally, potassium fertilizer is the main type, because lettuce mainly grows leaves. The ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be controlled at about 1:1:3, and the amount per mu should be controlled at about 40 jin. For soil with poor fertility, a little more can be applied.
The above are some techniques for growing lettuce. Do farmers now know how to grow lettuce? If you want to learn about some other aspects of lettuce, you can come to the website to look them up. More information that everyone does not know awaits farmers to discover.