| Botanical name | Lactuca sativa |
|---|---|
| Plant Care |  Deciduous Deciduous – Sheds Its Leaves Annually  Full Sun Full Sun – Prefers 6 or more hours of sun per day.  Semi Frost Hardy Semi Frost Hardy – Is Able to Survive Moderately Low Temperatures.  Moderate Watering Moderate Watering – Requires Regular Watering.  Non Indigenous Non Indigenous – Exotic to South Africa. |
| Categories | |
| Common name(s) | Lettuce |
| Origin | |
| Planting instructions | Plant seedlings out into rows and space them 200mm apart. Do not plant too deep as this will result in poor heads. |
| Maintenance | Regular thorough watering and feeding every two weeks is required for all types of lettuce. Keep the plants moist and feed them every 14 days. |
| Soil conditions | All lettuce types need well-prepared soil that is rich in organic material. |
| Uses | Culinary |
| Interesting planting ideas | Plant near beetroot, cabbages, carrots, radishes and strawberries. |
| Interesting info | Loose-leaf types can remain in the garden for about three months before replanting.Planting the correct hybrid for the time of year is most important. |
| Common pests and diseases | Cutworms, aphids, caterpillars, slugs and snails.Leaf spot, bottom rot. |
| Harvest | Iceberg, butter head and cos types can be picked as soon as the heads are firm and well developed.Pick individual leaves from loose-leaf types as soon as the leaves are large enough. |
| Yield | Nine to ten iceberg plants planted every three weeks will satisfy a family of four.For loose leaf lettuces, plant 5–8 plants. |
| Seed sowing instructions | Sow seed thinly in trays or beds and cover with 50mm of fine soil. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle; keeping them moist at all times. |
Lactuca sativa (Lettuce)
- Botanical name: Lactuca sativa
- Common name(s): Lettuce
- Categories: Fruits and Vegetables
Plant description:
Lettuce is one of the most important year-round salad vegetables. It is not difficult to grow lettuce successfully provided you keep in mind that all types need well-prepared soil that is rich in organic material, regular thorough watering and feeding every two weeks. There are four types of lettuce: iceberg or crisphead, butterhead, loose-leaf, and cos or romaine. The most commonly grown is the iceberg type. Loose-leaf types can remain in the garden for about three months before replanting. Planting the correct hybrid for the time of year is most important.
Family: Asteraceae
Synonym: Lactuca sativa var. crispa
Botanical Pronunciation: lak-TOO-kuh suh-TYE-vuh
Lactuca sativa requirements and features
info on these icons
Moderate Maintenance
Requires moderate maintenance.
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