Red Lollo Rossa Lettuce

Lettuce - Growing Guide

Lettuce is a very popular vegetable. It is grown in three types - butterhead, romaine and iceberg. It contains vitamin C, provitamin A, folic acid, vitamins B1, B2, E, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine. Butterhead lettuce was developed through breeding from common weed - prickly lettuce, which commonly grows in fields, landfills and generally poorer soils. The name "iceberg" originated from the storage method. It was cooled with ice during transport to maintain its fresh appearance.

How to Grow Lettuce

• Requires a sunny location. Plants require abundant watering. Always water in the morning or during morning hours so that plants have time to dry by evening. Otherwise, there is a risk of spreading fungal diseases, especially lettuce downy mildew. Lettuce is also not suitable for growing in the same location two years in a row. During the growing season, regularly hoe and weed.

• Butterhead lettuce can be sown year-round. In warm areas, we can sow outdoors from March until autumn. In greenhouses, lettuce can be grown year-round.

• Plants require good, freshly fertilized, loose soil. Lettuce does not tolerate acidic soils, soil pH should be neutral to slightly alkaline.

• Before planting, work 3–5 kg of compost/m² into the soil, lime with 3 kg of limestone/m², add 1.8 g P₂O₅/m² and 14 g K₂O/m².

• Bacterial soft rot of lettuce initially manifests as sharply defined, dark blackening spots. The first lower leaves that are on the ground are affected.

  Calcium deficiency causes marginal necrosis of leaves, which gradually turn brown and subsequently die. The outer leaves are most commonly damaged this way, but it can also be leaves hidden inside formed heads. Treat with Champion 50 WP and perform soil disinfection.

  Lettuce downy mildew appears mainly on older leaves, where light green to yellow-green spots of various sizes form, often bordered by veination. Spots gradually enlarge, dry out and become necrotic. Treat with Rovral 50 WP or Rovral FLO.

  Plants are also attacked by grey mold and may be eaten by slugs.

  Treat them with suitable preparations against fungal diseases. It is important to observe the protective period before consumption.

• Butterhead lettuce is harvested 10-11 weeks after planting. Store it in the refrigerator and it should be consumed within a few days.