Growing romaine lettuce is fairly easy. It's a cool-weather crop that can be
planted in early spring and late summer
in most areas of the United States. Growing romaine lettuce quickly is the secret to producing crispy, great-tasting leaves.
How do you grow romaine lettuce at home?
- Eat your purchased lettuce, cutting the leaves at about 1 inch from the bottom.
- Place remaining stem in a shallow dish of water (about 1/2 inch).
- Place on a window sill or under grow lights.
- Change water in bowl every 1 to 2 days.
- Watch your lettuce grow.
Will romaine lettuce grow back after cutting?
Yes
! To regrow lettuce, start by taking the lettuce and cutting it about 1 inch from the bottom. Put this stem in a shallow dish filled with about 1/2 inch of water. In about 10-12 days, the lettuce will be fully grown.
How do you grow romaine lettuce?
When sowing seeds directly into the soil, you should plant
approximately 10 seeds per foot
. Space your rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Thin leaf lettuce seedlings to 4 inches apart. Romaine and butterhead lettuce seedlings require 6 to 8 inches between each plant.
Can you grow romaine lettuce all year round?
It can be
grown in almost any location in the garden
– straight in the soil, on the windowsill, or even between your flowers. With a good focus on gardening basics like proper water, shade, and planting in succession, lettuce can be a constant harvest from your garden almost the entire year long.
How do you know when romaine lettuce is ready to harvest?
You can tell that your lettuce is mature when
it looks dark green and the leaves look open
; leaves should also overlap in a tight bunch. Romaine lettuce should be harvested when it's full size, but just before it's reached maturity.
Why is my romaine lettuce growing so tall?
Most lettuce varieties are cool season crops. When the hot weather comes, they send up tall stalks that will flower and set seed. You'll notice that the
leaves begin to taste bitter around the same time the stalks elongate
. This is called bolting.
Will lettuce reseed itself?
Plenty of common edibles are excellent self-seeders – arugula, Oriental leaves such as mustard, lettuce and radishes
all readily self-seed
. … If left unharvested they'll flower in the second year, providing a much-needed source of early pollen and nectar for insects before they give up their seed.
Does romaine lettuce need full sun?
Select an outdoor lettuce planting area that gets partial shade and
4 to 6 hours of full sun per day
. Romaine lettuce grows best between 45 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does lettuce need full sun?
Although
lettuce grows fastest in full sun
, it is one of the few vegetables that tolerates some shade. In fact, a spring crop often lasts longer if shaded from the afternoon sun as the season warms. You can grow lots of lettuce in a small space, even a container.
What grows with lettuce?
- Asparagus. When growing asparagus, you should leave a little of the crop to continue growing in your garden to allow the plant to store energy for next year. …
- Beets. …
- Calendula. …
- Carrots. …
- Chervil. …
- Chives. …
- Cilantro. …
- Eggplant.
Does lettuce grow back every year?
Yes
, lettuce leaves will grow back after cutting but only if proper care and technique are used when cutting as all vegetable lettuce follow similar annual vegetable growth cycles.
What time of year can I grow lettuce?
You can harvest lettuces from
late spring through to winter
, if sown regularly using suitable seasonal varieties. Whole lettuces are ready to harvest when a firm heart has formed – cut through the stem at the base.
How late can you plant lettuce?
The lettuce growing season begins in early spring and extends
through fall
for northern U.S. climates. In warmer areas, such as southern Florida, lettuce can also be grown outdoors throughout the winter.
