Lettuce

Heat Tolerant Varieties: Butterhead, LooseLeaf
Tamil Name: Malai Keerai; Scientific Name: Lactuca sativa;

Intermediate Level

B G T

Planting/Sowing

Dec – Feb;

Harvesting

Jan – Mar;

First Harvest

~50 Days

General Info

Crop category	Greens
Life span	Annual
Type of crop	Herb
Part(s) of the crop to harvest	Leaves
Avg. Height	6 – 12 inches

Climate & Humidity

Lettuce is a cool-season crop. There are bolt-resistant, heat-tolerant varieties for growing in warm weather such as Butterhead lettuce and other loose leaf lettuces.

Planting / Sowing

When to plant / sow seeds (ideal season):
Mid December to mid February;

How to plant:
Direct Sowing & transplanting; First sow the seeds and then transplant in 3 to 4 weeks.

NOTE: Please refer to the How to Grow Greens and How to Grow Microgreens sections as Fenugreek makes an excellent microgreen.

Soil Depth & Spacing Requirements

Lettuce seeds should be sown in lines at a spacing of 5 cm between rows and 1.5-2 cm depth. The seeds should be covered with sand and manure mixture. Plants are ready for transplanting in approximately 21-28 days.

NOTE: Please go through the Guides in the Knowledge Base for more details on topics ranging from Spacing & Lighting to Soil and Nutrients.

Irrigation

After planting, crops should be irrigated at 8- to 10-day intervals.

NOTE: Irrigation should depend on how moist / wet the soil is. Check your plants everyday to see if they require irrigation or not. Check the Watering & Irrigation guide for more info.

Harvesting

When to harvest
Butterheads and loose leaf lettuces are ready to harvest in 45-55 days. As soon as plants reach acceptable size and firmness, harvest before the leaves become tough.

How to harvest
Pick individual leaves. Summer lettuce stays in prime eating condition only for a short time, so do harvest promptly.

NOTE: Harvest periods can vary depending on environmental, climatic, and soil conditions.

Pests & Diseases

Pests	Nematodes and thrips
Common Diseases/ Problems	Root and collar rot can occur where the soil stays wet
Pest and Disease prevention measure(s)	For problems with caterpillars or grasshoppers you can spray either a neem oil or cow urine spray (5% diluted solution in water). Make sure that this is done at least a week before you are harvesting.

NOTE: Read Pest & Disease Control for more information.

Did you know?

While Iceberg lettuce is one of the most popular varieties, it is very difficult to grow in hot climates. Butterhead or any Loose leaf variety of lettuce is far more tolerant of heat. While lettuces are often used raw in salads and sandwiches, they can also be cooked like most other leafy greens. Lettuce is said to contain a sleep inducing substance, but you’re not going to get sleepy from just eating a salad!