Growing Organic Lettuce
When attempting to grow any kind of organic produce, the first step is to make sure your soil is high quality. Organic lettuce requires a sandy or loamy (silt, sand, clay, and organic matter) soil with a pH balance around 6.5—it is wise to test the soil’s pH level before planting lettuce. Make sure to use well-decomposed compost, as it may prevent the need for fertilizer. Once your soil is in place it is time to plant your organic lettuce seeds.
Planting
Most types of organic lettuce can be planted straight into the soil; just keep them fairly shallow.
- Cover the seeds with 3/8–1/2 an inch of soil and water them thoroughly. A general rule of thumb is to place organic lettuce at least 20 inches apart with rows 10 inches wide. (Different types of organic lettuce may vary).&
- On top of the soil, place a 3–4 inch layer of organic mulch. The mulch will provide nutrients for your organic lettuce and help keep away weeds.
- You may also add an organic fungicide to the soil during the planting process to help protect your lettuce.
- When planting organic lettuce, depending on your location, you want to wait until the final big freeze has passed. Organic lettuce can handle minor freezes, but it is best to reduce the risk.
Maintenance
- Keep plants well watered unless you are getting a lot of rain.
- Organic lettuce generally takes 80 days after planting to be ready for harvest. Make sure that you do not wait too long however, as lettuce grows bitter the longer it sits.
Growing your own organic vegetables is a very rewarding experience—it not only provides delicious food for us to eat, but it gives back to the environment on which we all depend.