Lettuce is a must for the home gardener, and there are so
many more varieties to plant at home than you would ever find at the
supermarket!
SOIL PREPARATION:
One of biggest keys to success in organic gardening is the
condition of the soil. There needs to be
adequate organic matter to hold moisture and nutrients. And at the same time, the soil needs to be
loose enough for good aeration and drainage, which will help promote strong
root development.
It is easy to grow lettuce if your soil has the proper
nutrients. People always assume their soil is average, but unless you have a
soil test it is just a guess. More often
than not, it is necessary to amend the soil to achieve optimum pH balances, as
well as the proper levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Testing your soil
is ideal; however, at a bare minimum, before planting anything, work in at
least 4” of organic mulch and at least one-half inch of finished compost into
your topsoil, along with MegaVeggie. If you suspect your soil is less than ideal,
mix in a cup of MegaVeggie if you feel your soil is in great condition, 2 cups
if in good condition and 3 cups if in poor condition, into every 100 sq. ft. of
soil. This 100% organic soil amendment
will make up for a lot of deficiencies.
Also, mulching with compost or straw will help keep the soil
moist and also help to feed the plant and prevent weeds. Don't mulch over 3-4" because this might
prevent oxygen from entering the soil and could cause root rot.
PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS:
If planting from seed: Plant 2 weeks before last anticipated
frost date, 1/8-1/4” deep in rich soil. Plant leaf lettuce close and thin as
necessary, but romaine you want to leave 4-6” apart in rows 12" apart. If
you are planting in raised beds, plant 9" on center. For head lettuce, if
you want bigger heads plant 12" apart on center.
If planting seedlings: If you choose to plant seedlings,
start indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last anticipated hard frost. Harden them off first if you are buying or
growing starts. This is done by placing
the seedlings in direct sun for an hour, then placing in the shade. Each following day increase the time in the
sun by one hour; repeat this each day until they are in the sun for 6 to 8
hours, which will take a week or so. Make sure they don’t dry out.
If you know there is a chance of hard freeze, bring
seedlings inside until freeze is over. When it is safe, leave seedlings
outside, placing them next to a building with an overhang and let them get used
to nighttime temperatures. The building
and overhead cover should give you some protection. After one night outside and they are used to
sun, you can plant without shocking the plant.
Plant in soil when outside temperatures may go to 32 degrees but mostly
stay above freezing.
When planting, use a tablespoon of bone meal in the bottom
each planting hole. If you’re Vegan or don’t like to use bone meal, then
Mega-Start will work. It’s 100% Organic and animal-free. It is best to root
feed with Seaweed right after planting to prevent shock. Seaweed is better for shock prevention than
any other product on the market.
FERTILIZING/AMENDING:
After planting, continue to feed seaweed once a week by
spraying leaves, and fish emulsion every two weeks through root feeding until
harvest. I use a hose sprayer for fish, but just make sure you spray enough so
that the roots of the plants are soaked.
If fish gets on the leaves, don’t worry, it won’t burn the leaves.
If your plants are not vigorous, they are not getting enough
food and your soil is in poor condition.
If so, side dress with 2 tablespoons of MegaVeggie around the base of
the plants and water in. Continue the
seaweed once a week along with fish emulsion every two weeks, but cut the fish
out at least one week before harvest. Do not let the soil dry out; soil should
be moist but not soggy.
Recommended Schedule for Fertilizing and Amending Soil:
1. Bone Meal or
MegaStart -- at planting
2. Seaweed -- at
planting and once a week until harvest
3. Fish Emulsion --
every two weeks after planting until harvest
4. MegaVeggie -- if
plant does not appear vigorous, every two weeks until harvest
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