Lettuce is one of the oldest vegetables, known since the time of the ancient Egyptians who attributed to it aphrodisiac effects.
Greek doctors attributed to it a light soporific action while the Romans, who used lettuce at the end of the meal as a digestive, spread its cultivation throughout the West. Hence the name Roman lettuce .
Lettuce comes from the Latin "lactis" (milk) because in the head there is a whitish liquid similar to milk.
Today, romaine lettuce, together with canasta, is the most common variety on Italian tables.
Low in calories (15 per 100 g), composed of 95% water, rich in mineral salts and vitamins , in addition to being easy and quick to prepare, lettuce has diuretic properties, helps the intestine, contributes to regulating blood sugar and, due to its satiating power, cannot be missing from slimming diets.
Most of the lettuce you find in the supermarket, however, comes from abroad and is grown using chemicals.
Why not grow romaine lettuce completely organically right in your garden or even in a pot on your balcony?
You will get a vegetable that, in terms of quality and flavor, has nothing to do with commercially available lettuce.
From fertilization to defense against parasites, you can use absolutely natural products and, why not, do it yourself.
If you want to start growing this fresh strain, the good news is that it is easier than you think as long as you follow the right steps from planting to harvest.
In this article you will discover the 9 golden rules for growing romaine lettuce successfully :
- Knowing Romaine Lettuce
- Work and fertilize the soil
- Knowing the right climate for growing romaine lettuce
- Sowing and transplanting at the right times and in the right ways
- Give the right amount of water avoiding stagnation
- Using mulch against weeds
- Protect lettuce from pests and diseases organically
- Harvest at the right time
- Contact a trusted dealer
1. Knowing Romaine Lettuce
What is romaine lettuce? It may seem like a simple question, but in the vast world of lettuces, it can be easy to get confused.
Romaine lettuce is characterized by straight leaves and an elongated and compact head . Its color varies from white at the base to light green in the center to dark green on the outer leaves and the upper part.
Its leaves are wavy, its texture is crunchy and its flavour is delicate and sweet.
Based on the harvest period, it is possible to distinguish 3 main categories of romaine lettuce : the winter blonde, the summer blonde and the green gardener's green.
In jargon it is often mistakenly called salad but, in reality, salad is the dish that results from its preparation.
2. Work and fertilize the soil
Romaine lettuce adapts well to any type of soil. However, the ideal soil for its cultivation has a medium, crumbly and soft texture .
Before proceeding with sowing and transplanting you will therefore have to make sure that you have worked the soil well with the hoe so as to make it soft and free of depressions to avoid water stagnation that would ruin the plants.
Fertilization is essential because this variety of lettuce needs a good concentration of nitrogen. Organic fertilizer, rich in nitrogen, should be well mixed into the soil 10-15 days before transplanting . You can use, for example, organic pelleted manure .
3. Know the right climate for growing romaine lettuce
In general , lettuce is a rather resistant plant and adaptable to different climatic conditions .
The optimal temperature for its growth is 15-20°C but it also resists low temperatures well and can be grown in open fields from late winter (except in regions with particularly harsh climates) until autumn.
Romaine lettuce is very sensitive to heat which can make it ripen too quickly. To grow this variety properly, a cooler climate is preferable.
So, especially if you live in a region that reaches very high temperatures, the ideal periods for growing are autumn and early spring .
Its "cousin" canasta lettuce (which grows wider than the romaine and has a stronger flavour), on the other hand, prefers a warmer climate, so for this variety, start growing in spring/summer.
Exposure to the sun is also important. Lettuce should be grown in partial shade, that is, with half a day of sun and half a day of shade. If your garden does not allow this (for example, if it is exposed to the south), you can use a light shade cloth.
4. Sow and transplant at the right times and in the right ways
If you want to grow romaine lettuce you don't necessarily need a lot of land: a small vegetable garden or a few pots on the balcony will suffice .
The basic rules are the same but there will be some differences mainly related to the available space which, on the balcony and therefore in a pot, will probably be more limited.
Sowing in open field or in seedbed
Head lettuces in general can be sown directly in the field or in a seedbed. If you want to sow directly in the garden (certainly easier if you have no experience), you will have to sow in postarelle, that is, create small holes equidistant from each other where you will insert the seeds (2 or 3 per postarella).
For good development of vegetables you must first respect the distance between plants which, in the case of lettuce, is 40 cm between rows and 25 cm along the row .
Alternatively, you can use a seedbed, a protected place, naturally warmed by sunlight and temporary, where you plant seeds that will then be transplanted into the ground once they have become seedlings.
You can use simple pots or a peat seedbed that is rich in trace elements and guarantees rapid growth of the seedlings. 100% biodegradable, it allows you to plant the entire peat pot in the soil .
The pots, if you sow in summer, should be left in a cool place (a simple cellar for example) to be protected from the summer heat, while in winter, in a heated place.
For lettuce the sowing period is very long although it varies based on your climate zone .
From February to May you can sow in seedbeds for spring and summer cultivation while August and September are suitable for autumn sowing. In open ground from April to June.
For sowing romaine lettuce in open fields, as we have already said, autumn and early spring are best.
Keep in mind that, working in a seedbed, starting from the seed the times become much longer. For the formation of a seedling to transplant in the garden it takes at least 20-30 days .
The best way if you want to grow romaine lettuce or other lettuce varieties is to plan a staggered sowing : stagger sowing and transplanting by 15 days at a time.
This is because lettuce, after ripening, must be harvested quickly otherwise it rots . This is the problem you will face if you transplant too many lettuces at the same time.
With staggered programming, however, you will be able to harvest a product that is always fresh and in quantities suitable for your consumption .
As for transplanting, it can be done all year round, especially in regions where the climate is milder and free of frost. For any doubts, consult the " 2022 vegetable garden calendar: sowing, transplanting and harvesting for every climate and area of Italy " .
Whether you have grown the seedlings in a seedbed or, for convenience, you have purchased the seedlings already formed, remember that the cube must remain above the ground by a third, this to prevent the tuft from being crushed on the soil as it grows, encouraging rot.
During the transplant phase it is also useful to spread some soil around the cube.
If you prefer to buy salad or lettuce seedlings ready for transplanting, discover the wide assortment of Millstore which offers you the possibility of receiving them directly to your home in 48 hours and guarantees replacement if they arrive damaged .
Growing Romaine Lettuce on the Balcony
Gardening on the balcony is an increasingly widespread practice, especially in cities where we talk about " urban gardens ", so much so that they deserve the attention of important newspapers.
The first element to take into consideration when growing on the balcony is the choice of pots which must be the right size for the vegetable they have to house .
To grow lettuce you need a pot that is at least 50 centimetres wide and 25 centimetres high .
Here too you can choose between sowing directly in a pot, or whether to grow the seedlings in a seedbed or, finally, buy seedlings already formed and ready to transplant.
In any case, the important thing is that you sow or transplant the seedlings in a slightly staggered fashion rather than in a single row so that, as they grow, they do not bother each other .
It is also important that you choose a good soil to which you can perhaps add some homemade compost .
The final result you will get by growing on the balcony will be of excellent quality even if the heads will be smaller in size since the vegetable has less space to develop.
An excellent alternative for the balcony are cutting lettuces , which are easier to grow in pots and allow you to make multiple cuts with the same plants. You can make the first cut just 10 days after transplanting .
5. Give the right amount of water avoiding stagnation
Irrigation is a fundamental aspect in growing a vegetable garden. In beginner's manuals, the first indication given is not to overdo it. Plants must have the right amount of water. Too much is as harmful as too little .
As for lettuce, we are talking about vegetables that need to have the soil always well moist but that fear water stagnation that would make them rot .
Obviously, water needs vary according to the season. If you grow romaine lettuce in the fall, you will need to water it less than in the spring/summer.
The time of transplanting is when the water requirement is higher . In summer, water once a day, either in the morning or in the evening. In spring and autumn, if you can, it is better to water in the morning.
Finding the right water balance for romaine lettuce becomes even more essential when growing on a balcony where you will have to water often and little, also taking into account the material of the pots: terracotta ones dry out faster than plastic ones, so pay close attention to how they behave.
A drip micro-irrigation set can be the right solution both if you have a small vegetable garden and for a balcony garden, because it guarantees that your water needs will be met even if you are away and provides a balanced amount of water.
6. Use mulch against weeds
Weeds are a danger to romaine lettuce. It is therefore a good idea to keep the soil around the plants clean by removing weeds that would hinder their growth, especially in the initial phase.
A valid and indispensable help in this sense comes from mulching which consists of covering the ground around the plants with zero-cost materials such as straw, dry leaves, bark, waste plant materials or, for practicality, you can choose mulching mats .
Mulching is also useful to ensure the right temperature for the surface of the roots, protecting them from excessive heat in summer and cold in winter.
7. Protect lettuce from pests and diseases organically
If you have done all the previous steps correctly, you have already taken the first step to keep pests and diseases away.
In particular , avoid the formation of stagnant water to keep away fungi such as botrytis, also known as grey mould , which, like all moulds, proliferates with excess humidity.
As for pests, if you want to grow romaine lettuce, you should know that its main enemies are snails, especially in periods of rain and humidity.
The most dangerous period is the initial growth phase . A snail attack during this period risks destroying the entire crop.
This parasite, in addition to literally eating the leaves, leaves excrement and eggs that are absolutely not dangerous for the plant or for your health but which are certainly unpleasant and will require careful washing before using the lettuce in cooking.
To combat snail attacks without killing them, you can resort to organic and do-it-yourself remedies that exploit the fact that the parasite moves by crawling and that its body is slimy.
You will then have to use substances that hinder their movement such as, for example, wood ash (from the fireplace or stove, to be clear) mixed with coffee . The consistency of this compound makes it difficult for snails to move and they will prefer to change direction.
You will need to sprinkle the mixture around the plants periodically.
Alternatively , you can also use crushed eggshells in the same way .
If you prefer an easier and "cleaner" remedy, you can use a granular bio bait snail killer . Once the snails have taken the bait, they stop feeding and therefore no longer damage the crops, simultaneously stopping producing slime and thus limiting bad odors.
8. Harvest at the right time
When is the right time to harvest lettuce?
Lettuce should not be left to ripen too much because it rots quickly . It is therefore better if you start harvesting a few days in advance.
If, as we have seen, you have sown staggered, the harvest will also be staggered and, if you have done your sums correctly, you should have no problems.
A simple trick to understand if your lettuce is ready is to feel the head. If it is full you can harvest otherwise you will have to wait a few more days.
The situation is slightly different if you grow on a balcony. As we have already seen, the size of the head will never reach the same size as a lettuce planted in the field.
In this case, harvest when the head has reached a reasonable size and the leaves are still a lighter green and tender.
9. Contact a trusted dealer
We have seen what are the rules you need to follow if you want to start growing romaine lettuce whether in the garden or in some pot on the balcony.
We started from the processing and fertilizing of the soil, through sowing and transplanting based on your climate, irrigation, protection from fungi and parasites up to the harvest.
Nothing particularly complicated and it also allows you to use many DIY tricks to take care of your crop.
However, if you are a beginner, it may be useful to ask for advice on the varieties best suited to your soil and climate and on the most useful and practical products to use based on your needs.
Millstore offers you a team of professionals and experts able to answer all your questions and help you resolve your doubts and concerns .
Do not hesitate to contact us by phone, email, WhatsApp or chat on our website.
