Not only can you save money by growing your own produce at home, but you can know for certain if the food is organic. Organic food is chemical-free and is grown in compost-laden soil. Maintaining an organic garden can be accomplished with a few garden items and the knowledge of how to care for your plants. One such vegetable you may have in your organic garden is lettuce, and you can learn how to grow organic lettuce and reap the nutritional benefits from your own garden.
Steps
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Prepare the soil for planting. Ensure that the soil has a pH balance between 6.0 and 6.8. The ground needs to be well-drained and full of nutrient-rich soil that is full of compost or aged manure. Lettuce plants do well in steady amounts of nitrogen, so apply blood meal or compost tea to the soil before adding the seeds.
- If you are unsure what your soil's pH is, you can purchase a soil testing kit from your local garden supply store. You will need to scoop up soil, place it in the provided container, and add a specific number of drops of the testing chemical. Shake the container for a certain amount of time, and compare the results with the test's color-coded chart.
- You can also contact a local university's extension office to get your soil tested at its facility. This typically is a fee-based service, but you may receive more in-depth results.
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Dig a trench in the soil, and plant the lettuce seeds. Lettuce plants have a short root system, so you don't need to dig a deep trench. Insert the seeds .25 to 1 inch (.6 to 2.5 cm) deep.Advertisement
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Cover the seeds with .5 inch (1.3 cm) of soil. Place an additional 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) of organic compost or mulch. This will keep the seeds moist and prevent weeds from forming.
- If you are planting several varieties of lettuce in your garden, make sure you plant the varieties a minimum of 12 feet (3.66 m) apart to prevent cross-pollination.
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Thin your plants once the seedlings have formed their first real leaves. Thinning is simply removing certain seedlings to allow your plants to spread out. Leaf lettuce seedlings should be 4 inches (10.2 cm) apart while heads of lettuce should be 6 to 8 inches (15.2 to 20.3 cm) apart.
- If you're growing organic lettuce heads, such as iceberg, aim for 12 to 14 inches (30.5 to 35.6 cm) apart. Single-leaf lettuce plants should be 4 inches (10.2 cm) apart.
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Harvest your organic lettuce when the outer leaves are about 6 inches (15.2 cm) long. This ensures that the plant will survive after the leaves are removed. You can use your hands to tear off the leaves anywhere on the stalk once the leaves are long enough. Continue to harvest lettuce leaves until you are left with a center stalk. It may take as long as 80 days after planting to harvest.
- If you're harvesting heads of lettuce, cut the head 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the soil. A new head will form in its place.
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Keep pests at bay through organic methods. Lettuce is prone to a rabbits as well as few insects, including slugs, aphids, and cabbage worms. You need to reapply the sprays after each watering or rainfall.
- For rabbits, mix 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml). of cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml). of garlic powder, 1 tsp. of liquid detergent, and 20 oz. of warm water. Shake the mixture, and let it sit outside for 1 day. Spray the mixture to the lettuce leaves.
- To treat these insects, you can use traps for slugs and purchase ladybugs to eat the aphids. Slug traps can be made by filling a small bowl with stale beer; the slugs are attracted to the beer and drown. For cabbage worms, you can apply a spray that is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Add 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). of liquid detergent, and place all ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray the leaves all over to get rid of the worms.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow many days do I have to nurse the lettuce, and how best time to transplant in the field?NinoxTop AnswererThe time to nurse the lettuce can vary, but a good indicator is the leaves: when the lettuce have 4 leaves, you can transplant.
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Tips
- Make sure you keep the lettuce plants watered. If the plants become too dry, the lettuce becomes bitter to the taste.Thanks
- If you're limited in space or don't have access to a garden, you can plant your lettuce seeds in a hanging basket or in containers and align them along your windowsill.Thanks
- Lettuce is a cool-weather vegetable, which means that it thrives when the temperature is cooler. You can begin planting lettuce seeds when the temperature reaches 35 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius). The seedlings can tolerate a light frost, but if the temperature falls below 26 degrees Fahrenheit (-3.3 degrees Celsius), you should cover the plants so they won't die.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Organic lettuce seeds
- Organic hummus
- Organic fertilizer
- Hoe
- Water
References
- http://www.gardenzone.info/crops/lettuce.php
- http://www.onthegreenfarms.com/fruit-vegetable/how-to-grow-organic-lettuce/
- http://greenlivingideas.com/2007/10/22/growing-organic-lettuce/
- http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/lettuce.cfm
- http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/organic-garden-pest-control.html
- http://www.veggiegardener.com/how-to-keep-rabbits-out-of-your-garden/
- http://www.thegardenhelper.com/slugs.html
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