How to Grow Lettuce? A Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Management Key Points

Lettuce is a vegetable that everyone comes into contact with fairly often in daily life; eating it raw or stir-fried are both good options, and it has a broad market in our country. But growing lettuce is not as simple as farmers think, and producing good lettuce still takes a lot of fertilizer and effort. Below, 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 the lettuce seeds fully contact the air and speed up germination. When there are cracks on the surface, or after about one day, they can be put into the seedling bed. The soil layer of the seedling bed should be controlled at a thickness of 5-10 cm, and 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, just enough to cover the seeds is fine, so they can fully contact the soil.

2. Transplanting treatment

After emergence, observe the number of tender leaves. When most of the seedlings in the seedling bed have 3-4 tender leaves, transplanting and field setting can begin. When transplanting, try to ensure that soil remains on the young lettuce roots. If there is none, transplant immediately, so if the transplanting distance is relatively long, try to transplant the seedlings together with the soil around their growing area. Apply a little fertilizer in the planting holes, then cover the roots and stems with the surrounding soil. Do not press hard; a slight press is enough.

3. Planting management

The week after field setting requires fairly close attention, because during this period you can tell whether the transplanted seedlings will survive. If the seedlings generally grow poorly, it is very likely due to insufficient fertilizer. Lettuce is relatively prone to pests and diseases, so once signs of disease or pests appear, handle them promptly. If the disease is at an early stage and not serious, you can try removing the affected parts; if this type of disease still persists, it is best to carry out control measures. 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 fairly frequently. About one week after field setting, begin watering; later, control watering at about every 7-10 days, depending on local conditions. In places with moister soil, the frequency can be reduced; in drier places, it can be appropriately increased, judging by the degree of soil dryness. In the early stage after field setting, if conditions allow, 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 other aspects of lettuce, you can check the website; more information that everyone does not yet know is waiting for farmers to discover.