There are a very large number of lettuce varieties, more than a thousand. It is sown throughout the season, from the end of March to mid-November.
There are several groups of lettuce varieties.
- The first group are varieties that begin to stem with extended daylight hours. These include early ripening varieties that are grown in greenhouses and film shelters.
- The second group consists of summer-ripening varieties that are sown throughout the summer.
- The third group includes varieties that occupy an intermediate position. They are undemanding to growing conditions, so they can be sown throughout the year. Harvesting is extended until flowering.
Salad varieties are also classified by leaves, which can be: smooth, oily, crispy and bubbly.
The main qualities of the salad are its early maturity and cold resistance.
One bed can yield more than 3 harvests. Salad heads are easy to transport and can be stored for a long time. It also tolerates frosts well. It is sown immediately after the snow melts on the bed, and the shoots can tolerate frosts down to -8 °C.
Secrets of Big Heads of Lettuce
Landing
Head lettuce should not be sown too densely, as this will prevent the heads from forming, but will only produce leaves.
Therefore, to obtain heads of cabbage, you need to allocate a large area and sow seeds according to a 20x20 cm pattern, and late-ripening varieties according to a 30x30 cm pattern.
Early spring varieties of lettuce are planted 1-2 cm deep, late varieties 3-4 cm deep. Head lettuce is sown on the southern side of the plot, since lettuce planted in the shade will take a long time to ripen.
Soil
The best soils for lettuce are sandy. Clay and heavy soils that form a dense crust are not suitable for lettuce.
Lettuce also does not like acidic soil. It likes neutral soil, so the soil for salads sometimes needs to be deacidified with lime.
The predecessors can be anything except cabbage.
Head lettuce is a sprinter plant: you can already harvest it in 5-7 weeks after sowing.
It can be successfully planted between crops of onions, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, strawberries and other vegetables.
