A Detailed Guide to Seed Selection Techniques and Seedling Raising Methods for Stem Lettuce

Stem lettuce is a very common vegetable in our daily lives. It is simple to stir-fry and has a delicious taste, and it is loved by many people. In a while, farmer friends will begin planting crops, and I believe most farmers know how to grow stem lettuce. So how do you select seeds for stem lettuce? What seedling raising methods are there? Friends who want to know, read on!

1. How do you select seeds for stem lettuce?

When selecting seeds for stem lettuce, pay attention to choosing varieties suitable for high rainfall, high humidity, strong resistance, a rich fresh fragrance, and high yield. At present, the more commonly used varieties include Premium Spotless Stem Lettuce, Four Seasons Xiangfei, and Large Pointed Leaf, among others.

2. What seedling raising methods are there for stem lettuce?

1. Seedling tray

According to needs and variety characteristics, choose a 54-cell or 72-cell seedling tray.

2. Seedbed

Before sowing, set up the seedling shed, and make beds according to the seedling shed. After leveling the bed surface, lay down plastic film. If conditions permit in the seedling shed, electric heating pipes can be laid under the seedbed to facilitate later control of the microclimate temperature inside the shed.

3. Sowing

Before sowing, first use clean water to thoroughly water the substrate in the seedling tray, then place the pre-germinated seeds into the cells of the seedling tray, then cover well with substrate and scrape level, water, so that the moisture content of the surface substrate is about 50-60%, cover with film, and keep warm and moist.

4. Management after sowing

After sowing, it is necessary to maintain the temperature inside the shed at all times, keeping it at a suitable temperature of about 20°C. When more than half of the seedlings in the seedling tray have emerged from the seeds, promptly remove the plastic film, and then keep the temperature inside the shed at 28°C. During this period, always pay attention to the moisture content of the substrate in the shed, and replenish water promptly when there is a lack of water. After the seedlings are fully emerged, appropriately lower the temperature inside the shed to harden the seedlings, while also preventing excessive growth of the seedlings. After the young seedlings grow 5-6 true leaves, they can be used for transplanting.

Although the incidence of pests and diseases in substrate seedling raising is not high, once pests and diseases are found, timely control measures need to be taken, and infected diseased seedlings and weak seedlings should be removed.

3. Key points for high yield of stem lettuce

1. Deep plowing

Stem lettuce does not root deeply, but after years of planting, the various nutrient components of the surface soil are somewhat lower than those of the deeper layers. After all, besides not having been disturbed, deep soil also has nutrient accumulation over many years. Deep plowing is to give stem lettuce a better soil environment, because it grows extremely fast and can mature in just about 2 months. Thus, more high-quality nutrient soil must be used to ensure its development. So the first step to high yield is deep plowing, to a depth about 15 cm deeper than what everyone usually digs.

2. Extensive composting

The fast growth of stem lettuce requires abundant fertilizer to meet its growth needs, so initial composting is especially important. The composting here means mixing fertilizer with soil to carry out composting. Nowadays, many rural areas have specialized soil-loosening equipment. Spread fermented manure evenly on the soil surface, mix it with the soil-loosening machine, and after 2 mixings apply some chemical fertilizer, carry out a third mixing, then wait three days before planting, so the soil has time to digest the fertility, and then plant.

3. Control density

A single stem lettuce plant requires a relatively large amount of nutrients, so blindly pursuing high density is not a way to achieve high yield; in the end, it will only lead to unsatisfactory growth. Reasonable planting density is a major boost to high yield. Density should be based on the local water and nutrient environment. For soil with good fertility, control the plant spacing at about 10-15 cm; for poor fertility, control the spacing at about 15-20 cm. Control the span of each ridge at about 1.2 m, with a drainage ditch of about 20 cm reserved in the middle.

4. Maintain moisture

Experienced growers know that the yield of stem lettuce in paddy fields is much higher than in dry land. And as stated at the beginning of the article, vegetables have a very high moisture content, so their water requirements are also very high. The drainage ditch mentioned earlier can also be used for irrigation. The water in the stem lettuce field should keep the soil in a moist state for a long time, while a small amount of water exists in the drainage ditch. In this way, a moist growing environment can be built for stem lettuce, and its leaves will also grow much faster, achieving the effect of high yield.

Alright, the above is all the content the editor wants to share with everyone. When choosing stem lettuce seeds, everyone should try to choose varieties suitable for high rainfall, high humidity, strong resistance, a rich fresh fragrance, and high yield. In addition, for seedling raising, you can refer to some of the methods above. If you want high yield, it is best to master the above key points well.

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