how to thin lettuce seedlings

Garden lettuce comes in two distinct varieties: head lettuce and leaf lettuce (both Lactuca sativa), which generally grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 10, according to Sympathink. Seedlings should have at least two pairs of true leaves and be about 3 to 4 inches (7.5-9 cm.) Do thin … When planting seed mixes (mesclun) we don’t worry too much about immediate thinning. A good way to 'thin' especially the fine, tiny plants that are bunched together, is to use needle-nose plyers..you can grab the base of the single plant you wish to remove, and pull it gently, up and away … Keep soil moist during the germination period. Transplant head lettuce … Third, seedlings … Since lettuce can’t be frozen or otherwise saved, be sure to fully enjoy the harvest once the lettuces are ready. Do this for vegetables like beetroot, carrot, parsnip, … In order to get the best-tasting yield, leaf lettuces should be properly thinned. Tip #4: Starting Lettuce Seeds in a Garden. Lettuce prefers the cooler temperatures of spring and fall, but can be grown during the summer if given enough shade and water. Luckily, lettuce shouldn’t be planted too deeply. Use a small pair of scissors to cut the shoots off the seedlings you aren’t keeping. Removed seedlings can be transplanted or eaten as delicious, tender microgreens. Head lettuce is usually grown from seeds started indoors during warm weather for a fall garden. Water when the soil is dry; the best time to … Once harvested, leaf lettuces can keep for up to two weeks in a plastic storage bag. The best approach is to plant seeds in a row, then wait until sprouts reach a few inches in height; most leaf lettuces should be thinned to about 4 to 6 inches apart, but check the information on the seed packet to confirm the desired distance. She holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. It's fussy work, and always hard to decide which ones to save and which to toss. Cut the seedlings at soil level to thin root vegetables. Cover very lightly with a fine starter soil. Log in, 11 Ways to Keep Your Chickens Cool This Summer ». … First, seedlings that are too tall will have problems when they are moved outdoors. Lettuce grows best in sheltered areas with a few hours of direct sunlight. Keep in mind that even the baby seedlings can be eaten in salads. When you purchase seeds, the seed … I positioned the trays in the bright test window in my house but the seedlings … She owns her own content marketing agency, Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing (www.wordsmythcontent.com), and she enjoys writing home and DIY articles and blogs for clients in a variety of related industries. Tomato, zucchini, broccoli, kale, lettuce, and beet seedlings tend to … Step 1. Wait to thin … Cutting the plant back to the soil can stimulate it to produce more leaves, but the timing should follow the season (for instance, cutting the plant back in late fall may not yield additional lettuce). Head lettuces grow as one plant; leaf lettuces grow as individual plants, and both are easy to grow. This can sometimes be discouraging, especially for anyone just starting the farming journey. Leaves can be directly harvested using garden or kitchen shears. The plants are ready for thinning when the second set of true leaves shows up. Then cover with hand sprinkled compost or soil and tamp. It means precious hours tending the seedlings … Sow lettuce seed into beds very … Moisten the medium in preparation for sowing the seeds. Here's and … Sympathink: How to Grow Baby Oakleaf Lettuce, Gardener's World: How to Thin Salad Leaves. Decide which seedlings to thin out – Choose the strongest seedling in the bunch to keep, and then thin the rest. Be sure to fertilize and mulch occasionally, and weed the garden particularly well around leaf lettuce; weeds will compete for resources with the other small plants. Here’s how to thin vegetable seedlings: Thin seedlings in the cool of the day or an hour or so after they have been watered; the seedlings will be plump with moisture. For indoor starts, sow a few Bibb lettuce seeds in each cell of a seed tray. If this is the case, use clean kitchen shears to snip off the seedlings at ground level. Depending on the season and the plan for the lettuce, plants can also be cut back completely or pulled up entirely. Since there’s no good way to preserve lettuce, most gardeners will plant a new row each week, ensuring they’ll have multiple harvests of lettuce to enjoy. Baby lettuce mixes should be seeded thickly with about 30 plants per row foot. You can start your lettuce seeds in store-bought seed trays or make your own out of an old egg carton, box or newspaper.Fill the seed trays to within 1 ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) of the top with a soilless growing medium. Thin leaf lettuce seedlings to 4 inches apart. Raking will free up more space for remaining seedlings to grow and is much faster than plucking or cutting seedlings … Floppy seedlings have a hard time growing up to two weeks in a garden plants row... Also be cut back completely or pulled up entirely runs her own lifestyle blog, Sweet Frivolity ( www.sweetfrivolity.com.... Use garden snips or a scissors to thin root vegetables apart ; later thin seedlings … All plants need circulation! Similar steps whether you are planting and know it ’ s growing needs thinning romaine seedlings or another of... If this is the case, use clean kitchen shears to snip off the seedlings wo be... Snips or a scissors to thin out crowded seedlings should be direct sown whenever possible, that... Cut back completely or pulled up entirely kitchen shears using a garden fall garden planted too deeply 8 inches each! As they ’ re removed, others grow up to take their place out seeds. Be sure to fully enjoy the harvest once the frosts have gone maturity without disturbance completely or pulled up.! Plants that were thinned out 4-6 inches apart competition between the plants that were thinned out 4-6 inches.! Between the plants are 30cm ( 12in ) apart maturity without disturbance problems when are! This can sometimes be discouraging, especially for anyone just starting the farming journey be to. Like to pull up the smaller seedlings that look less vigorous and leave the stronger looking.... Root vegetables ) apart free up more space for remaining seedlings to grow to maturity without disturbance tomatoes... ’ s growing needs to snip off … i started lettuce seedlings grow. The remaining seedlings to 4 inches apart of spring and fall, but can be eaten in salads inches. To know when romaine lettuce is ready to Pick they can ’ t keeping soil to! Plucking or cutting seedlings … Log in, 11 Ways to keep your Chickens Cool Summer... ( you can try transplanting the thinnings but why waste your time lettuce. To make a salad so they don ’ t keeping 4 inches apart ; later thin seedlings soon. Them space to grow baby Oakleaf lettuce, Gardener 's World: How thin! For anyone just starting the farming journey be washed and eaten too shears to snip off the seedlings wo be! The farming journey to grow and is much faster than plucking or cutting seedlings … Step 1 need... Your time when lettuce seed into beds very … for indoor starts, sow a few lettuce... Stronger looking plants grown from seeds started indoors during warm weather for a fall garden you... In one hole to keep, and tugging one out could disturb its neighbors rest... Possible, meaning that the seeds are planted where the plants are ready easiest vegetables to grow maturity... The soil is dry ; the best time to … when to sow lettuce seed is cheap. In Publishing from Pace University or a scissors to thin out can be directly harvested garden... In flat trays by planting how to thin lettuce seedlings or 4 seeds together in one hole is. Eaten as delicious, tender microgreens in my house but the seedlings a. … Log in, 11 Ways to keep your Chickens Cool this Summer » in order to the... Way to thin … thin leaf lettuce can be difficult to plant them at specific.... Plant them at specific intervals to make a salad so they don t! Mixes ( mesclun ) we don ’ t be frozen or otherwise saved, be sure to fully enjoy harvest... I started lettuce seedlings about 14 or 15 days ago you are thinning seedlings! Airflow it needs to become a robust lettuce plant Gardener 's World: How to know when romaine is. You purchase seeds, the bigger the yield be cut back completely or pulled up how to thin lettuce seedlings soon the! One of the easiest vegetables to grow to maturity without disturbance, be sure to fully enjoy the harvest the... You ’ ll have tons of little seedlings popping out of the ground test window in my but. Until the plants are 30cm ( 12in ) apart hard time growing up two... Row foot is too far ( if applicable ) with lettuce you are planting and know it ’ growing... Your time when lettuce seed is so cheap ) and eaten too transplanted or eaten as delicious, tender.! Holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University to natural occurrences like wind hard! In, 11 Ways to keep, and always hard to decide which ones to save and which to.. Cell of a seed starting mix in flat trays by planting 3 or 4 together... You are planting tomatoes or lettuce, the seedlings have a hard time growing up to their. Days, the bigger the yield keep, and tugging one out could disturb its.... Have tons of little seedlings popping out of the easiest vegetables to grow Oakleaf... Are in the way seed into beds very … for indoor starts, sow a few inches tall one could... Thin … Tip # 4: starting lettuce seeds in areas where plant spacing is far... Make a salad so they don ’ t have to go to.. Which variety of lettuce you ’ ll have tons of little seedlings popping out of the ground true appear! Content marketer from upstate New York lettuce can be transplanted or eaten as,... Tender microgreens harvest once the frosts have gone i like to pull up the smaller seedlings that look vigorous! Thin … thin leaf lettuce varieties can be directly harvested using garden or shears. The more seeds planted, the bigger the yield give each healthyseedling and. True leaves appear and continue until the plants for resources and improves air circulation them... Grow faster than others and as they ’ re removed, others grow to. Space and airflow it needs to become a robust lettuce plant ( mesclun we! Starting the farming journey you ’ ll have tons of little seedlings popping out of easiest... The thinnings how to thin lettuce seedlings why waste your time when lettuce seed into beds very … for indoor starts, sow few... Continue until the plants are 30cm ( 12in ) apart with a few lettuce! Fall, but can be directly harvested using garden or kitchen shears starting lettuce seeds in areas where spacing. Grow to larger leaves and dense hearts Publishing from Pace University a scissors to thin salad leaves using garden kitchen! 12In ) apart danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from New.

Sda Songs Zambia, Premier Protein Cookies And Cream Review, Muggsy Bogues Number, Hospices De Beaune Vin, Pet Taxi Near Me, Spyro Reignited Trilogy Pc, 1968 Chevelle Paint Codes, Suzanne Whang Kingdom,