Starting a garden this year but don’t know where to begin? Growing lettuce for your own homegrown salad is a great place to start![fusebox_track_player url=https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/journeywithjill/291_-_NEW_Beginners_Starter_Guide_Series_Coming_Up.mp3″ artist=”Jill McSheehy” title = “How To Grow Lettuce: Beginner’s Starter Guide”]
Growing crisp, fresh lettuce in your own backyard is easier than you think! With some simple preparation and care you can enjoy homegrown lettuce all season long. Raised beds offer the ideal environment for lettuce cultivation. In this comprehensive guide we’ll walk through everything you need to know about planting lettuce in raised beds, from variety selection to harvesting. Let’s dive in and get that lettuce growing!
Why Grow Lettuce in Raised Beds?
Raised beds provide many advantages for lettuce growing:
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Improved drainage – Lettuce needs consistent moisture but hates wet feet. Raised beds allow excess water to drain away, preventing diseases.
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Earlier planting – Raised beds warm up faster in spring, allowing you to get a head start on the growing season
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Ease of care – With lettuce at arm’s level, tasks like watering, thinning, and harvesting are simpler.
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Better growth – Loose, nutrient-rich soil in raised beds encourages better development
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Pest protection – Elevated beds keep lettuce leaves safely away from slugs and soil-dwelling critters.
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Weed prevention – Weeds are easier to spot and remove in defined raised beds.
Choosing Lettuce Varieties for Raised Beds
Lettuce comes in a colorful array of varieties. Consider factors like flavor, texture, heat/cold tolerance, and mature size when selecting types to grow.
Popular Types
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Leaf lettuces – Fast-growing, cut-and-come-again types like oakleaf, red sail, and black-seeded simpson.
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Romaine – Upright, crunchy heads like Little Gem and Parris Island.
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Butterhead – Loose, buttery leaves like Bibb and Buttercrunch.
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Crisphead – Dense, compact iceberg types like Great Lakes and Salinas.
Seasonal Considerations
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Plant heat-tolerant varieties like New Red Fire in summer.
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Choose cold-hardy cultivars like Rouge d’Hiver for fall/winter crops.
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Leaf lettuces and bibb types suit spring and fall’s moderate temps.
Preparing Raised Beds for Planting
Proper preparation sets your lettuce up for success:
Bed Construction
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Build or purchase a raised bed ≥ 6 inches deep for adequate root growth.
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Choose wood, plastic, or metal frames. Larger beds ~4ft x 8ft are ideal.
Soil Preparation
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Lettuce thrives in nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.
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Create a mix of equal parts compost, potting soil, and sand.
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Or purchase a quality vegetable planting mix.
Location
- Pick a sunny spot with ≥ 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Filling The Bed
- Fill bed with soil mix, leaving 1 inch from the top. Smooth and lightly tamp.
Soil pH
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Test soil pH, as lettuce prefers 6.0-7.0.
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Amend with lime (to raise) or sulfur (to lower) as needed.
Planting Lettuce in Raised Beds
Once your raised bed is prepped, it’s time to get those seeds or transplants in the ground!
Seeding Directly
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Refer to seed packet for optimal planting times.
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Make shallow furrows 1⁄4 inch deep and scatter seeds thinly. Cover lightly with soil.
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Gently water newly seeded areas to avoid displacing seeds.
Transplanting Seedlings
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Allow transplants to develop 3-4 true leaves before transplanting outside.
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Space transplants according to mature plant size recommendations.
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Dig holes for each transplant in the bed. Carefully place seedlings at same soil level as in pots. Firm soil around stems.
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Water transplants well to help them establish.
Thinning And Spacing
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Gradually thin crowded seedlings or transplants to recommended spacing.
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Snip off unneeded plants at soil level or transplant them elsewhere.
Caring for Lettuce in Raised Beds
Consistent care keeps your lettuce healthy and thriving:
Watering
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Water deeply when top inch of soil is dry. Avoid overhead watering.
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Increase frequency during hot/dry weather. Mature plants need less frequent watering.
Feeding
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Apply a balanced organic fertilizer every 2-3 weeks to nourish plants.
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Follow product instructions for proper dilution and application method.
Weeding
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Promptly remove weeds competing for light and nutrients.
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Carefully hoe between plants or hand pull weeds.
Pest Control
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Watch for slugs, snails, aphids and other pests. Remove by hand or use organic remedies.
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address larger infestations with insecticidal soap or neem oil sprays.
Preventing Bolting
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Bolting is premature flowering triggered by heat/stress.
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Use row covers to shade beds or pick heat-tolerant varieties to discourage bolting.
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Harvest lettuce regularly to promote steady growth.
Harvesting Homegrown Lettuce
Once mature, it’s time to reap those crisp lettuce rewards!
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Harvest leaf lettuce varieties by cutting outer leaves 1-2 inches above the root. New leaves will continue generating.
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For romaine and butterhead types, use a sharp knife to cut mature heads at soil level when firm and full sized.
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Timely harvesting prevents lettuce from bolting and becoming bitter.
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Pick lettuce in the cool morning hours for best texture and flavor.
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Chill harvested lettuce immediately in cold water to crisp it up. Pat dry before storing.
Key Tips for Continual Harvests
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Make successive sowings every 2-3 weeks for a steady lettuce supply.
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Or buy transplants at different stages to stagger maturity.
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Interplant quick-growing lettuces among slower developing vegetables.
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Use shade cloth or choose bolt-resistant varieties for summer harvests.
Growing lettuce in raised beds is easy and rewarding. Follow this guide for planting, caring for, and harvesting lettuce to enjoy fresh-from-the-garden flavor all season long. With the right approach, your raised beds will produce bountiful lettuce harvests to create delicious salads and sandwiches!
How far apart should you plant lettuce?
If you are growing lettuce for leaf lettuce (as opposed to head lettuce), you need about 4-6 inches of space between each plant. You can plant closer if you plan to harvest them as baby greens. Head lettuce needs about 10 inches between each plant.
TIP: Direct sow the lettuce seeds and then snip the baby lettuce at soil level. Aim for a final plant spacing of the plants you leave behind to be about 4-6″ apart; then let those develop fully before harvesting.
Here I am growing my lettuce in my GreenStalk Vertical Leaf Planter
When Should You Grow Lettuce?
Lettuce is a cool weather crop, grown in both spring and fall. It can tolerate frosts (which can happen under 40 degrees F) and young plants can take a freeze (anything at or slightly below 32 degrees).
The tricky thing about growing lettuce is that because it likes cool weather, it does not like the heat. Lettuce will often begin to bolt, which makes the leaves bitter and inedible, when temperatures are consistently above 80 degrees F. Learn more about bolting here.
In the spring, you can plant lettuce as early as four weeks before your average last frost date. You can choose to plant transplants, directly sow the seeds in the ground, or start seeds indoors. If you start indoors, begin about four weeks before you plan to plant outside.
When planning the timing of planting lettuce outside — whether you plant transplants or direct sow — aim to time your planting so the lettuce matures before your weather consistently reaches 80-85 degrees. Check the “days to maturity” on the seed packet, add a couple of weeks to harvest, and count backward. That date would be the last date you’d want to plant lettuce in the spring to get a harvest before the heat causes the plants to become bitter.
Growing Lettuce: You’re Doing It WRONG! 3 Tips To Grow TONS Of Lettuce All Year Long in Any Climate!
FAQ
How far apart do you plant lettuce in raised beds?
One looseleaf lettuce plant requires between 9 and 16 square inches. Spacing each lettuce plant about 3 inches apart allows you to grow about 16 plants per square foot, while spacing them 4 inches apart means you can grow about 9 looseleaf lettuce plants per square foot.
Does lettuce do well in raised beds?
Lettuces are well-suited to raised beds. Mostly they are shallow rooted and well-mannered plants. They won’t grow too large or flop over the edge of the beds. They will also do well in smaller containers and are great fillers around the edge of a mixed container planted with other vegetables or flowers.
What is the trick to growing lettuce?
Lettuce prefers a bright, open position with good air circulation to promote strong, disease-free growth. Lettuce is a cool-season crop, so in hot climates, you may get better results growing it in a cooler, shadier spot, especially as the young plants start out.
What not to plant with lettuce in a raised bed?
Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and other brassicas, love cool weather and rich soil—just like lettuce. However, plant experts also recommend keeping brassicas and lettuce separate in the garden as they don’t make good companion plants either.
How do you grow lettuce in a raised bed?
Lettuce thrives in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil Here’s how to get your raised bed ready Fill the bed with a mixture of equal parts compost, peat moss, and vermiculite. The compost provides nutrients while the peat moss and vermiculite help retain moisture and ensure adequate drainage. Test the soil pH, aiming for a level between 6.0-7.0.
What is the best lettuce to grow in a raised bed?
Butterhead (Bibb lettuce) – Slightly sweet with a more mild flavor with delicate, soft leaves. Easy to grow in raised beds, especially if you’re using row covers. Probably our favorite lettuce to grow. Loose-leaf – Comes in many varieties from red to green. Does not form a compact lettuce head like other types, grows in a loose rosette pattern.
When should I plant lettuce for my raised bed?
When deciding when to plant lettuce for your raised bed, there are a few factors to consider. You may want to plant lettuce once a season, or you may choose to plant in both the spring and the fall. If you do not have the space or time to start seeds indoors, you can buy lettuce transplants at your local garden center.
What is the best soil for growing lettuce?
The best soil for growing lettuce is a loose, well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter.. You can either buy a commercial potting mix or make your own soil mix using compost, peat moss, and perlite. Before you plant your lettuce seeds, you need to prepare the raised bed. First, remove any weeds or debris from the bed.
How do you care for lettuce in a raised bed?
Focus on proper watering and vigilant pest management to enjoy fresh greens from your raised bed. Water your lettuce consistently and deeply. Aim for at least 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Water in the morning to minimize evaporation and fungal disease risks.
Can you grow lettuce at any size?
Finally, remember that you can grow lettuce at any size. If you want to grow baby greens for a salad mix, you can plant a few seeds per inch. Instead of planting the seeds in a dense block, plant them in rows with a few inches of space between each row.