Lettuce

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable.

Location
Choose a sunny or lightly shaded location.

Soil
The soil must have a good organic matter content and should not be acidic. Incorporate compost to the site in autumn or early winter. Shortly before sowing rake to produce a fine tilth and apply a general fertilizer.

Sowing
Sow 2 seeds in a small peat pot. Once germinated remove the weaker seedling of the two. Harden off outdoors before transplanting. Sow seeds thinly in drills 1cm (½in) deep and leave 30cm (12in) between rows.
 * Indoors
 * Outdoors

Aftercare
Thin seedlings once the first true leaves appear to avoid overcrowding. Water the day before. Continue to thin at intervals until the plants are 15-30cm (6-12in) apart depending on variety.

Put down slug pellets and protect seedlings from birds. Hoe regularly and keep moist unless growing under glass when the soil should be kept slightly more dry. Ventilate glass-grown lettuce regularly.

Always water in the morning or midday, watering in the evening will increase the chance of disease.

Harvesting
Lettuce is ready for harvesting once a firm head has formed, but can be cut for use at any point. If left longer the plant will begin to grow taller; a sign that it is preparing to bolt, it should be cut and used immediately. Ideally uproot in the morning when there is dew on the leaves, then cut off the roots and add to the garden compost.