Lettuce should be planted where it gets full sun in spring and fall but partial shade during the hottest part of summer. It grows best in soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. In most of the U.S. and southern Canada, where frosts are expected in winter, sow seeds indoors or in a hot bed about a month before the last frost is expected.
When the seedlings become 2 to 3 inches tall and night temperatures are no longer likely to fall below 25, move the plants to the garden, spacing head lettuce about 12 inches apart, other types 6 to 8 inches apart; the rows should be 1 1/2 feet apart.
All other types of lettuce listed here grow well anywhere in the U.S. and southern Canada. Loose-leaf lettuce forms a rosette of tender green leaves 8 to 12 inches across. Recommended varieties are Oakleaf, Black-Seeded Simpson, Prizehead, Ruby (its leaves are tinged with red) and Salad Bowl; a 15-foot row yields about 21/2 pounds over a period of three weeks.
Seeds can also be sown directly in the garden when night temperatures can be depended upon to stay above freezing, but the plants will mature later than those sown indoors. In frost-free regions, sow seeds in the garden in late summer when maximum daytime temperatures average no higher than 80. Prepare a trench as. described above for transplanting seedlings. Group three or four seeds in a spot at the bottom of the trench, spacing the groups 4 to 6 inches apart; cover the seeds with 1/8 inch of soil.
The trench that leeks are grown in-whether from seeds or seedlings-is not filled all at once but gradually over the season. When the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall, push soil around the stems up to the leaves. As the plants grow, continue to surround the stems with soil until the plants reach maturity and the trench becomes filled in. The soil will blanch the stems-that is, turn them white by withholding light-and will also make them tender.
Fertilize every three to four weeks, scattering a 6- to 8-inch band of 5-10-5 fertilizer along each side of the row at the rate of 5 ounces of fertilizer per 10 feet of row. Leeks mature in about four and one half months but are edible at any earlier stage. Unused leek seeds will keep for about two years.
When the seedlings become 2 to 3 inches tall and night temperatures are no longer likely to fall below 25, move the plants to the garden, spacing head lettuce about 12 inches apart, other types 6 to 8 inches apart; the rows should be 1 1/2 feet apart.
All other types of lettuce listed here grow well anywhere in the U.S. and southern Canada. Loose-leaf lettuce forms a rosette of tender green leaves 8 to 12 inches across. Recommended varieties are Oakleaf, Black-Seeded Simpson, Prizehead, Ruby (its leaves are tinged with red) and Salad Bowl; a 15-foot row yields about 21/2 pounds over a period of three weeks.
Seeds can also be sown directly in the garden when night temperatures can be depended upon to stay above freezing, but the plants will mature later than those sown indoors. In frost-free regions, sow seeds in the garden in late summer when maximum daytime temperatures average no higher than 80. Prepare a trench as. described above for transplanting seedlings. Group three or four seeds in a spot at the bottom of the trench, spacing the groups 4 to 6 inches apart; cover the seeds with 1/8 inch of soil.
The trench that leeks are grown in-whether from seeds or seedlings-is not filled all at once but gradually over the season. When the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall, push soil around the stems up to the leaves. As the plants grow, continue to surround the stems with soil until the plants reach maturity and the trench becomes filled in. The soil will blanch the stems-that is, turn them white by withholding light-and will also make them tender.
Fertilize every three to four weeks, scattering a 6- to 8-inch band of 5-10-5 fertilizer along each side of the row at the rate of 5 ounces of fertilizer per 10 feet of row. Leeks mature in about four and one half months but are edible at any earlier stage. Unused leek seeds will keep for about two years.
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A gardening tip to ward off fungus diseases on the vegetables in your vegetable garden is to water early in the day.
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