How To Grow Lettuce

Whether you are growing lettuce hydroponically or from seed in your garden, nothing tastes better than home-grown lettuce.

Step 1: Consider growing hydroponic lettuce Consider growing lettuce hydroponically if you want lettuce throughout the year. This can be done in a greenhouse or at home in pots.
TIP: Search online or visit a hydroponics store for more information about using this method.
Step 2: Start seeds indoors Start your seeds indoors, ¼-inch deep, ½-inch apart, in a 4-inch deep container. Start the seeds 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting outside.
Step 3: Choose area Choose an area with well-draining soil where your plants will receive full sun.
Step 4: Prep your soil Prepare your soil bed by breaking up the soil with garden tools, adding 2 to 4 inches of compost, and digging a ½-inch trench for the seedlings.
Step 5: Plant the seedlings Plant the seedlings after the last frost, spaced according to package directions. Different varieties of lettuce require different spacing.
TIP: Mulch the plants in early summer to keep the soil cool and moist.
Step 6: Water Water the plants on a regular basis. Avoid watering in the evening, which attracts snails and slugs.
Step 7: Harvest Harvest the leaves when they are large enough to eat. Pick the leaves in the early morning when the leaves are crisp.
FACT: Ancient Egyptians grew lettuce for the oils that were extracted from its seeds.