One of the most common vegetables available fresh all year round is iceberg lettuce grown outdoors, in greenhouses, on windowsills at home or in hydroponics. The unique feature of this vegetable is its precocity. Only 40 days pass from planting to receiving marketable products. This makes this culture not only a valuable source of vitamins and minerals in the body, but also the object of close attention of entrepreneurs - suppliers of green products.
Conditions for seed germination
Iceberg, a varietal group of plants called "ice-salads", has characteristic distinguishing features:
- Large rounded leaves forming a loose head of cabbage;
- Characteristic taste with a slight bitterness;
- Leaves crispy when eaten.
Seeds of all varieties are similar in appearance and size. Seeds of leaf and head varieties are difficult to distinguish. Therefore, during the planting process, seeds from unlabeled bags should not be used - in order to avoid accidentally planting a lettuce of a different type or variety.
The plant is unpretentious. In most cases, planting material does not require pre-treatment - disinfection, soaking, stratification or germination. In open ground and in greenhouses they are sown dry. Given the small size of the seeds, they are usually mixed with dry sand or ash to evenly distribute them on the ridge.
"Decontamination and soaking can be applied to growing seedlings."
The seedling method is used in greenhouses - in order to save seeds, and when grown in hydroponics.
Landing
Before planting a head lettuce, there are several factors to consider:
- Select seed (by variety);
- Choose the best place on the site when planting in open ground;
- Prepare seeds.
Location selection
The plant is photophilous. It does not require shading and grows well on the south side of the garden plot. Prefers light, well-drained soils. Does not tolerate high acidity of the earth. Demanding to maintain moisture, which is achieved by daily watering.
Given the precocity and early sowing of seeds, already when the soil warms up to + 6 ° C, the time comes when planting lettuce. The ridges on the site must be planned in such a way that there is the possibility of overseeding every 1-2 weeks during the warm season.
Seed preparation
When planting in open ground, the seeds are sown dry, without pre-treatment. When grown in a greenhouse, on windowsills or in hydroponics, seedlings are pre-grown from seeds. To avoid damage to young plants by root rot or other fungal diseases, they are preliminarily disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) 1:1000.
The processing time is 25-30 minutes. The seeds poured into a container with a solution are mixed in a solution. First they float on the surface. After 15-20 minutes, they swell and sink to the bottom. Unviable seeds remain floating on the surface. They are removed. The rest can be planted. The disinfected seeds thrown on a sieve are slightly dried in the air and planted one by one in cups with previously disinfected soil.
seed
In the varietal group of "ice salads" there are many varieties that differ:
- sizes;
- head shape;
- density;
- coloring;
- taste.
"The main focus should be landing time."
Varieties are distinguished by maturity:
- Spring ones form a head of cabbage in 40-45 days;
- Summer - after 60-70 days;
- Autumn - in 80-90 days.
The later ripe variety, the larger and denser it will have a head of cabbage. The density of the head does not affect the taste.
Care and cultivation of iceberg lettuce
The plant is unpretentious, but it still requires care and regular watering.
top dressing
Lettuce, like cabbage, accumulates a large amount of minerals in the leaves. Therefore, top dressing with mineral fertilizers and microelements should be minimal. The best way- application of mineral fertilizers to the ridges in the fall.
Use organic fertilizers, but in small quantities - to avoid the accumulation of excess nitrogen. A double feeding is enough: a week after germination and in the middle of the growing season. 2 weeks before harvest, no top dressing is applied.
Shelter
Lettuce perfectly tolerates winter sowing. Iceberg is a cold-resistant crop that can withstand frosts down to -6°C on the soil. Plants planted in spring to accelerate germination (create a greenhouse effect on the ridge) and protect against recurrent frosts are covered with breathable covering material: Agril, Agrotex, Agrospan, Lumitex, Spunbond, etc.
“The covering material is removed when the average daily air temperature reaches +12°C.”
Watering
Headed varieties are moisture-loving and need daily watering. In greenhouses, in addition to daily watering, a certain humidity must be maintained. When the air temperature rises to 27-30 ° C, the plant stops growing and starts shooting - throwing out the peduncle. The leaves become rough and unfit for human consumption.
Harvesting
Harvesting for personal consumption begins after the formation of 4-6 pairs of true leaves. Plants are sampled during weeding and thinning. The plantings thickened during sowing are thinned out so that there is a distance of 40-45 cm between the centers of the plants, and the leaves are kept freshly picked for 2-5 days in the refrigerator.
“It is advisable to wrap the leaves with wet gauze or immediately after harvesting, place the roots of the plant in a vessel with water. Lettuce with uncut roots lasts longer.”
Growing in a greenhouse
Iceberg lettuce is grown in greenhouses all year round. The best time is from September to April. The optimum air temperature in the greenhouse is 17-20°С, but not higher than +25°С.
For greenhouses, a seedling method of growing is suitable. Each seed is placed in a peat tablet or a separate peat pot, as the lettuce does not tolerate transplants. Use early-ripening varieties with a heading period of 40-45 days. So they achieve the most rational use of the greenhouse area. Harvesting and sowing of new seeds is carried out every 1-2 weeks.
Average yield per 1 sq. m of greenhouse area is:
- As the main crop - 1.5-2 kg / m2;
- As a sealant - 0.5 kg / m2.
Outdoor cultivation
In the open field in the country, "iceberg" is usually grown from seeds - as one of the earliest vegetable crops. To do this, use simultaneous sowing (on different ridges!) of leafy - early ripe (from 20-22 days) - and different in terms of ripening head - from 40 to 90 days. This scheme allows you to grow fresh herbs from April to October in the middle climate zone.
It is more convenient to use granular seeds, they are larger than ordinary seeds and it is more convenient to plant them. They are seated at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other in a row. The distance between rows is 45-50 cm. When planting seedlings, follow the indicated scheme. For early ripe varieties, closer planting is possible.
How to grow on a windowsill
Growing head lettuce on a windowsill is inefficient. The plant is too large for this. Only 4 plants will fit on a 1400 mm wide window sill. It is much more efficient to grow iceberg lettuce hydroponically in growboxes (growtents).
But this is a very expensive way, requiring a significant initial investment, which will pay off only after a few years of year-round growing at home. Headed lettuce is a low-value and cheap vegetable. It is not profitable to grow it at home.
How to store
Cut lettuce unsuitable for long-term storage. Greens fade in 2-3 days even in the refrigerator. A plant that is grown in a pot and stored along with the root is stored much longer. It is enough to moisten the pot, wrap it with a damp cloth and place the plant on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. So the storage period can be extended up to one week. Iceberg lettuce is a popular light vegetable rich in trace elements and vitamins. Available all year round. Unpretentious and quite productive. Serious agrotechnical research and a special cultivation technology are required only on an industrial scale. The basic principles of lettuce farming can be seen in the video.
lettuce seedlings
For growing lettuce, only cassette or potted seedlings are used (peat cubes are also suitable for this), for the reason that the seedlings do not tolerate damage to the root system.
Lettuce should be planted very shallowly - so that the peat cube does not completely sink into the ground and rises 0.5-1 cm above the soil level. With a deep planting, the lower leaves are affected by fungal diseases and rot. If phosphorus and potash fertilizers have not been applied since autumn for plowing, you can apply them to the beds when planting.
The seedling method is most acceptable when growing head lettuce.
Growing lettuce seedlings is done in two ways: with picking and without it. Without a pick, lettuce is sown in pots 5x5 cm in size, and when growing seedlings with a pick in boxes 20-25 days before planting in the ground. The first 2-3 days after sowing, the temperature in the room is maintained at about 20 ° C, and after the emergence of shoots, until the first true leaf is formed, it is reduced to 10-12 ° C.
The soil mixture for lettuce through seedlings is prepared from the materials at hand: lowland peat, high peat, sand, sawdust, lime, mineral fertilizers, trace elements.
The picking of plants is carried out in the phase of one true leaf. After that, the temperature is maintained within 16-18 ° C during the day and 10 ° C at night.
Seedlings of head lettuce are planted in the ground in the second half of May, when severe frosts have passed. A lettuce planted by seedlings before harvesting requires almost no care, only in case of drought it is watered.
Lettuce is best grown in areas where crops such as cabbage and potatoes were grown last year, that is, those crops under which organic fertilizers (manure) were applied.
head lettuce
Saline and alkaline soils with an acidic reaction, as well as heavy and clay soils, are not suitable for lettuce. In general, the salad is quite unpretentious. A good harvest of this crop can be obtained with the content of humus in the soil and with proper mineral nutrition.
Before growing lettuce seedlings, soil preparation should begin in the autumn of the previous year. First you need to carefully study the species composition of weeds and in the presence of perennials (sow thistle, mustard, couch grass, field bindweed, etc.), give them the opportunity to grow, and then treat the soil with a herbicide. After that, you need to wait 10-12 days for the herbicide to completely penetrate the rhizomes and destroy the weed. After that, proceed to the main tillage.
If the land is solonetsous, gypsum is added, if it is acidic, it is limed. On soils with a low content of phosphorus and potassium, appropriate fertilizers can be applied before plowing. Next, the soil is dug up to a depth of 22-25 cm and immediately, in the fall, cultivated with harrowing, leveling. For planting, choose a well-warmed area with a southern slope.
And how to feed lettuce seedlings in order to get fresh greens in the early stages? The soil is fertilized with humus (3-4 kg / m2) and mineral fertilizers: ammonium sulfate (20-30 g / m2), superphosphate (35-40 g / m2), potassium salt (10-15 g / m2), and with increased acidity - lime (300-600 g of lime per 1 m2).
Lettuce seeds are very small, and they have to be planted at a shallow depth, so the soil is prepared very carefully: in autumn and spring it is dug up to a depth of 25-28 cm, carefully breaking up lumps and lumps and leveling.
The video "Salad Seedlings" clearly demonstrates how to grow this crop:
Combining precocity and cold resistance, it has high keeping quality, transportability and productivity.
The plant accumulates valuable vitamins for the body, mineral salts and biologically active substances. According to the content of calcium salts, head lettuce ranks first among vegetables.
First grows like leaf salad, the maximum number of leaves appears by 55 days. Then densely approximated central leaves form a head of cabbage, the formation of which lasts 20 days.
According to the shape of the head, the varieties are divided into head and semi-head.
Half-headed lettuce forms a loose head. Oily varieties often form a less dense head. In crunchy varieties, whole leaves are bent, curling into a denser head. After the formation of a head of cabbage, a stem and a peduncle appear.
Headed lettuce in the initial period of growth is especially demanding of light. In low light, thickening poorly forms a head of cabbage. Dense heads of cabbage are obtained in open sunny areas. It also places higher demands on soil fertility and mineral nutrition.
Lettuce consumes the largest amount of nutrients (90% of the total mass) two weeks before the head is formed, removing the most potassium from the soil.
The best fertilizer for it is rotted manure, humus or compost, and from mineral fertilizers - complex fertilizers with a high content of potassium. With a deficiency of potassium, the leaves become brittle, the head of cabbage is deformed.
Young plants in the rosette phase can withstand short-term frosts (down to -8°), while adults remain under snow cover (at -16-18°). The varieties with pigmented leaves are most resistant to negative temperatures. Prolonged exposure to low temperatures on young plants provokes the formation of a peduncle, bypassing the head phase. The optimum temperature for growth and development is 15-20°.
VARIETIES
Headed: early ripe oily- Danko, Dumka, Mashenka, Sashenka, Cassini; crispy - Goplana, Granada Ožarovska, Great Laike 659, Kruleva lata
medium early oily- Libuza, Moscow region; mid-ripening crispy - Assol, Ice Queen, Buru, Diamond, Elenas RZ (resistant to powdery mildew), Campionas RZ, Kucheryavey Semko (to downy mildew), Fiorette RZ (resistant to mosaic virus);
oily- Attraction, Berlin yellow, Kado, Sonata, Limpopo, Festival, Flashlight; with a larger head - May King, 4 seasons, Opal, Champagne, Chartreuse,
mid-late crispy- Large-headed, Capriole (for mosaic virus), Kuala, Roxette (for downy mildew), Crystal, Rubette RZ (for mosaic virus);
late-ripening crispy- Galley (for mosaic virus), Kolobok, Mirette, Tarzan, Emb-flight (for powdery mildew), Challenge (for downy mildew, mosaic virus).
Semi-headed varieties: early ripe crispy- Locarno RZ, Crimson, Lollo Bionda, Riga (to mucous bacteriosis and gray mold);
medium early oily-Eurydice, Aurora, Concord RZ, Teremok, Yakhont,
mid-ripening crispy- Excitement, Domino, Orpheus, Kucheryavets Gribovsky, Chameleon, Geyser, Grand Rapide (to the marginal burn);
oily- Admiral, Anapchanin, Boston; mid-late crispy - Odessa Kucheryavets, Clavier.
AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUE
Head lettuce is grown by seeds or seedlings, in the garden, in flower beds, on the discount, in groups on the lawn. Some lovers prefer to plant the most decorative varieties of lettuce in the stalls.
To create a conveyor, it is sown in 2-3 doses of 2-3 varieties at each time starting from the end of April. Under the predecessor, 4-5 kg per 1 sq. m of compost. Poor soils are additionally seasoned with humus in the fall (2-3 kg per 1 sq. M). At the same time, mineral fertilizers are scattered - 30-50 g per 1 sq. m of superphosphate and 15-20 g of potassium salt.
To avoid the accumulation of nitrates, nitrogen fertilizers are recommended to be applied in the spring in the form of urea or in the fall in the form of sulfate salts - 10-15 g per 1 sq. m. The soil is carefully cut, leveled, grooves are made every 45 cm. The seeds are pre-mixed with wood ash or granulated superphosphate in a ratio of 1:4. Seeding depth - 0.5-1 cm.
After sowing, the bed is rolled or compacted for better contact of seeds with moist soil and mulched with peat.
Head lettuce needs timely thinning: the first time a breakthrough is recommended to be carried out in the phase of formation of 2-3 true leaves at a distance of 3 cm in a row.
Selected young plants are planted in sparse places, between rows of strawberries, placed among cucumbers, zucchini, along the edges of the beds with onions or winter garlic, covering from the withering sun. After harvesting the main crop, the lettuce grows well, forming full-fledged heads of cabbage. Simultaneously with the breakthrough, weeds are removed.
At the second and final breakthrough, extra plants are removed in the phase of 4-6 leaves, leaving a distance of 15-20 cm between them, in large-headed varieties - 25-30 cm.
Thinning should not be delayed, as the root system of the remaining plants is severely disturbed. On cultivated soils, they are limited to one thinning in the phase of the third true leaf; when sowing with coated seeds, they do without it. Until the rows close, the soil is constantly loosened shallowly. Before the formation of the 6-7th leaf, it is recommended to water the salad from a watering can with a strainer, then along the furrows so that water does not fall on the leaves.
It is very important that the root-inhabited soil layer (6-10 cm) is evenly moistened. The lack of moisture in the soil, especially in the early phases of growth, then affects the size and density of the head. Watering in the heat helps to reduce the temperature and delay the shooting. 7-10 days before ripening, heads of cabbage are watered rarely, but plentifully, while spending 20-25 liters per 1 sq. m.
Lettuce is responsive to nitrogen-potassium fertilizing, which is carried out until the head is formed. The first top dressing is given in the phase of two true leaves, feeding with potassium nitrate or urea at the rate of 10-15 g per 10 l of water, the second - after 2-3 weeks with Kemira universal 2 fertilizer (40 g per 10 l of water).
Seedling allows you to get products earlier. In the spring, it is prepared 25-30 days before disembarkation with or without a pick. Before germination, the plants are kept warm (20°), and after germination, the temperature is reduced to 10-12° for 3-5 days, then raised to 18° during the day and 10° at night. Seedlings are fed twice, first with urea (1.5 g per 1 liter of water), and a week later with Kemira universal fertilizer (2-3 g per 1 liter). By the time of planting, she is gaining 4-5 leaves.
Seedlings are planted in the second half of May, when severe frosts have passed, according to the scheme 30x30 cm or in rows every 50 cm, leaving 20 cm between plants in a row. The plant is planted flush with the upper edge of the pot; with a strong penetration, a good head of cabbage is not obtained.
Early varieties are cut selectively in the evening or in the morning, when the head is about the size of a fist. In later and large-headed varieties, they are guided by the density of the head, pressing with the back of the hand. Cut the lettuce near the surface of the soil, leaving a stalk (1 cm) and two or three nailed leaves.
When overexposure, the leaves become bitter. The upper leaves of heads of cabbage intended for storage should not be wet. Late varieties are harvested before frost. At room temperature, head lettuce is stored for 3-4 days, and at 0 ° and air humidity of 95-100% - more than three weeks. Heads packed in polyethylene are stored much longer.
In Europe, this amazing plant began to be cultivated since the 17th century; it was brought to Russia by Peter the Great. Lettuce belongs to annual garden plants, to the Asteraceae family. There are three main types of it: lettuce, chicory and endive. The most used . It is known for three varieties: leaf, head and romaine.
Nowadays, salad is becoming more and more popular. He is especially revered by supporters of healthy food and gourmets. You can, of course, buy it in supermarkets, or you can grow it yourself in your summer cottage. For those who choose the second option, I propose to talk in more detail about leaf lettuce, head cultivation, varieties of this wonderful plant.
Lettuce Differences
Leaf lettuce produces a rosette of light green, green or red leaves (depending on the variety).
In the head of cabbage, the leaves are wrapped, forming a head of cabbage up to 12 cm in diameter (sometimes more).
Romaine forms a raised rosette of succulent leaves, and in its middle a head of cabbage in the form of an elongated cone (weighing about 300 g).
The benefits of lettuce
Any of the varieties of this vegetable plant contains a large amount of useful substances: vitamins (C, groups B, P, PP, E, K, A), minerals (calcium, potassium, iron, iodine, copper, etc.), fiber. The bitter taste of the leaves comes from the alkaloid lactucin. Regular consumption of lettuce improves blood composition, regulates metabolism in the body, and helps to lose extra pounds. It is also useful for patients with gastritis and diabetes. Used to prevent constipation. Lettuce leaves have a beneficial effect on nervous system, have a calming effect, and therefore they are recommended for insomnia. Nursing mothers are advised to infusion from the seeds of this plant to increase lactation. Leaf juice strengthens hair.
Favorable factors for growing lettuce
This vegetable is not afraid of low temperatures. Its seeds germinate in five to six days at 5C. Young seedlings can withstand frosts down to -20C. Therefore, this crop is sown in the ground in early spring. Sometimes winter sowing is used. At 20C or more, in early varieties, flower stalks are formed ahead of time. High temperatures and low soil and air humidity increase the bitterness in the leaves. Head lettuce will accelerate the formation of heads if night air temperatures are 40-80 below daytime.
Another feature of this plant is its love of light. With a lack of lighting, the plant will stretch out, and the head of cabbage will be too loose. In addition, in this case, nitrates accumulate in the leaves.
Lettuce needs a lot of moisture, because its leaf mass is large, and the root system is rather weak.
This culture prefers loose or medium soil, well fertilized. Head varieties are more demanding on mineral nutrition (especially two weeks before head formation). Plants thrive in neutral or slightly acidic soil. For cultivation on the latter, its liming is required.
Greenhouses and greenhouses must be well ventilated, otherwise excess moisture and heat will lead to the development of gray and white rot, downy mildew or marginal burn.
Varieties of varieties
Lettuce varieties are distinguished by precocity. When planting, keep in mind that early ripening varieties will be ready for harvest 30 or 45 days after the first shoots appear. Late varieties of plants guarantee a harvest in 80 - 100 days.
Of the early ripening varieties, the leaf "Moscow Greenhouse" is popular (vegetation period - from 40 to 60 days).
"Kricet" - early ripening, its maturation lasts from 40 to 45 days. Resistant to heat and shooting. The leaves are thin. Bush weight - 250g.
"Ballet" - suitable for open and closed ground. The leaves are green and crisp, with scalloped edges. Grows up to 600g.
"Robin" is a variety for open cultivation. Shooting resistant. The leaves are purple-cherry.
"Emerald" - mid-season. Has excellent taste. Shooting resistant. Gaining weight up to 60g.
The mid-ripening "May Day" and "Berlin Yellow", mid-early "May", late-ripening "Krupnokochanny", "Green Round", "Ice Mountain" have become common. Of the varieties of foreign selection give good yields leaf "Australian", head "Attraction".
It is worth saying that head lettuce is distinguished into varieties with crispy or regular leaves. The first group is represented by the varieties "Ice Queen", "Great Lakes", "Avangard". They are distinguished by a more juicy and dense head of cabbage, which has a sweet taste. In the second case, the varieties "Danko", "Attraction", "Berlin Yellow", "4 Seasons" are popular.
The best varieties of leaf lettuce:
1) Batavia: Leafly, Risotto, Fanley, Funtime, Aficion, Lancelot, Orpheus, Geyser, Boston, Dachny, Yeralash.
2): Estaret, Lollo Bionda, Eurydice, Revolution.
3) Oakleaf lettuce: Amorik, Credo, Riviera, Dubachek.
lettuce cultivation
A place for planting plants is prepared in the fall. Under digging, humus is necessarily introduced. In autumn or spring, mineral fertilizers are applied, ammonium sulphate, potassium salt, superphosphate are added.
Lettuce can be grown both as seedlings and sowing in open ground. The feeding area for this crop should be sufficient. Early ripening varieties are planted according to the scheme 10x10cm, mid-early varieties need planting 15x15cm, late-ripening - 25x25cm. Seeds are embedded in the ground to a depth of 1 cm to 1.5 cm.
Using the seedling method, you can grow lettuce in the open field at the earliest possible time. For seedlings, sowing boxes are used, filled with soddy soil with humus in equal proportions.
Seeds in boxes are distributed in rows, leaving a distance of about 2 cm between them. Seedlings do not require picking, so after germination, young plants are simply thinned out, leaving 2 cm gaps between them.
Seedlings are planted in the ground when the plants have 3-4 true leaves. Head lettuce is best planted on the ground in single rows with a distance of 45 cm between them.
Caring for plants is not difficult: systematic weeding and loosening is necessary. Watering should be moderate, but do not allow the soil to dry out.
When rosettes of leaves or heads of cabbage are formed, and in isolated cases stems begin to appear, it is necessary to proceed to continuous harvesting. Headed varieties are harvested selectively, only the most suitable for consumption. Harvest preferably in dry weather, but not on the hottest day. You can not clean up after the rain, because otherwise the salad will quickly rot.
In conditions room temperature a plucked plant does not last long (leaf lettuce - no more than a day, and a head lettuce can withstand 3-4 days). For longer storage, it is recommended to use plastic bags in which beneficial features lettuce leaves last up to three to four weeks.
When growing lettuce, amateur vegetable growers need to know that this crop is a good "nitrate accumulator", which means that you should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers when fertilizing.
Salads are popular these days. One of them is iceberg lettuce. This useful product with a low calorie content attracts with its calm, neutral taste. It goes well with any sauces. At the same time, its resistance to low temperatures, unpretentiousness when grown in the country and its decorative appearance attracts many summer residents.
Iceberg lettuce is an early culture, ripening period 50-90 days, refers to head salads. It looks like an early white cabbage. A rosette of light green leaves with a carved border forms a small head of 300-600 gr.
By palatability he is similar to Chinese cabbage, but differs in juicy and crunchy leaves. These properties attract in the preparation of cold appetizers and in the design of dishes.
The plant has gained its distribution around the world thanks to American breeders. They received culture in the early twentieth century. Currently grown commercially. It was originally called "crunchy salad". After that, its taste was appreciated.
The average weight of heads of iceberg lettuce is 300-600 grams
Farmers used an "ice cushion" to preserve their crops. The heads of cabbage laid in boxes were sprinkled with ice cubes. As a result, the word “ice” (ice) caught on the plant, which later transformed into “iceberg”.
- culture prefers loamy or sandy, neutral soils. Therefore, to reduce acidity, dolomite flour, wood ash or limestone are first introduced into the ground.
- For the prevention of plant diseases, planting is carried out in accordance with the requirements for crop rotation. It is desirable that cabbage, potatoes, onions or cereals grow in the beds last year.
- Lettuce is a crop that is able to accumulate nitrates in the leaves. Therefore, nitrate fertilizers should be applied with caution. It is better to fertilize with humus, compost or manure from autumn before planting.
- Early ripening and decorative appearance allows you to grow not only as a monoculture in a separate bed. It can also be grown together with potatoes, onions, carrots or in the aisles of zucchini, cucumbers. While these crops are growing and gaining strength, the lettuce will have time to ripen. A spectacular look with carved leaves is used to decorate flower beds.
- Choose sunny places or partial shade.
- culture cold-resistant and withstands frosts down to -2 -6 degrees. Growth begins at +5 degrees. And the optimal for active growth is + 18 + 25 degrees.
- To increase the harvest period, you can sow in several stages, every 10-14 days.
- Seeds, a day before sowing, are recommended to germinate in a damp tissue.
Agrotechnics of planting and growing seeds
Sowing seeds in open ground
In the first half of April, a garden bed is prepared. They loosen well and cover with covering material so that the earth warms up. When positive temperatures were established, late April, early May rows are made in the garden with a depth of 3 cm, after 40 cm. The earth is compacted and spilled with water. Seeds are sown at a distance of 20-30 cm and covered with earth 1 cm.
If the seeds are not zoned or there is no confidence in their quality, it is advisable to thicken the sowing. In the case of good seedlings, plantings can be thinned out or planted in a new place.
Coming cover with a film. Seedlings should be expected in 6-14 days. The lower the temperature, the longer the shoots.
Sowing seedlings
Better to use peat or plastic cups. When transplanted into open ground, the root structure is not disturbed, and the culture takes root faster.
The soil is used store or from the site, from the place of future planting. The earth in cups is slightly compacted and sown in 2-3 seeds, 1 cm is covered from above. Spilled with water and covered with a film to retain moisture and heat.
Until shoots 4-5 days withstand temperature +16+17 degrees, then you can raise up to +25 degrees. After 3-4 weeks, in mid-May, when the plant has 4-5 main leaves, they are transplanted into open ground.
3-5 days before the planned transplant, seedlings must be hardened off. Take out during the day from the house to the street in partial shade, to a quiet place, without wind and drafts. May cause burns in sunny places.
Transplanting seedlings in open ground
In a prepared, loose bed after 40 cm make rows of holes. In rows, the distance between the holes is 20-30 cm.
To make neat, even holes of the desired depth and diameter, you can use a wide, pointed stake. The earth in such holes will immediately be compacted.
Seedlings and holes pour well with water. If the plant is removed from the cups, then with the help of light tapping or pressing the container. In this case, peat cubes are good, from which you do not need to get the plant and can be planted immediately in the ground.
Sprinkle the seedlings lightly with soil. It is not worth deepening the root system, since it has a superficial type of growth. By planting seedlings in varying degrees of growth, you can stretch the harvest period. Stronger shoots will yield faster, weaker shoots later.
Seeding before winter
Another option is to sow in late fall. It is good because the spring ripening of lettuce occurs 10-15 days earlier, it is larger and stronger. But at the same time there is a risk of freezing of part of the seeds. So increase the number of seeds for winter sowing 1.5 -2 times.
When the outside temperature is within +1 +3 degrees, seeds are laid in the prepared bed. They are deepened by 1-1.5 cm. In this mode, the seeds will safely leave before winter, they will not germinate. The bed is covered with dry grass, foliage and other covering material. They open in the spring when the weather warms up.
Care
The main care consists in feeding, watering, loosening, weeding and thinning.
- top dressing. They do it 1-2 times, before sowing and during the formation of heads. The best option is to combine with watering and feed with organic
fertilizers. For this, a solution of mullein or bird droppings is suitable (1-2 tablespoons per 10 liters). - Watering. Regular moderate watering is needed, every other day or once a week plentiful. If the soil is dry, heads will not form well, if it is wet, there is a risk of rot. After the formation of the ovaries, watering is reduced.
- Loosening and weeding. Periodic loosening is shallow so as not to damage the roots. The first in 3-4 weeks after sowing. At the same time, weeding from weeds takes place.
- If the seedlings are thickened, then spend thinning in two stages. Not performing these works on time, the head will be poorly formed. The first time in the phase of one true leaflet, shoots are kept after 4-5 cm. The second time in the phase of 6-7 true leaflets. Plants are left every 20-30 cm.
In addition, the plant can be exposed to diseases and pests.
At the end of growth, with a lack of calcium, disease can occur. blossom end rot, inside the stems. For prevention, they are sprayed once a week with a solution of calcium nitrate (100-150 grams per 12 liters of water).
In humid summer, during the invasion of slugs and snails, you can use the drug "Thunder". Spread the granules in places of accumulation.
When defeated cruciferous fleas, pour plenty of water and sprinkle with wood ash. Repeat the procedure after 3-4 days.
Reasons for the absence of head ovaries
Paying attention to proper planting and care, gardeners do not always wait for young heads of cabbage. What is the reason?
- Insufficient watering. Until the formation of ovaries, regular watering is carried out.
- Shady landing site. The best place is sunny with partial shade.
- Temperature below +19 degrees especially at night. Plants need to be covered. The best mode for forming +20 +22 degrees.
- Temperature above +25 degrees. this leads to overripeness, the acquisition of a bitter taste, and flowering.
- Not enough sunny days.
- Thickened plantings or thinning was not carried out on time.
If often the average, summer temperatures in the region are above 25 degrees at the time of the formation of the ovaries, then the crops should be done earlier through seedlings or in closed ground (greenhouse).
Cutting and storage
Across 45-90 days after sowing when the diameter of the sprouts reaches 5-10 cm, cutting takes place.
For better preservation of the juiciness of the leaf plate, the crop is harvested early in the morning. Choose heads of medium density. Young and friable ones are poorly stored, and dense overripe ones are inferior in taste.
Pre-installed:
- Plastic container and close.
- In a damp cloth and in a bag.
Interestingly, after cutting the culture continues to grow. At the place of cutting, new ovaries grow on the basal neck. If desired, you can leave one, for further growth.
Small heads of tasty, crunchy iceberg lettuce are gaining more and more our taste preferences. Easy care, good preservation and the ability to grow this product from spring to late autumn, make it suitable for planting it on your site.
