Salad is a valuable vegetable. Originally, however, it was treated as a weed. In the Middle Ages, its leaves began to be used for food, and it was not until the early 20th century that the plant was deliberately cultivated and harvested. Today, many types of lettuce have been developed that are resistant to mildew and can be grown all year round.
There are two varieties, spring and autumn
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Autumn varieties have delicate, light green leaves. Spring ones appeared later, but autumn ones are still more popular. Lettuce is an annual or biennial plant that has a stem up to 20 cm tall. The leaves form a rosette and are packed with vitamins and minerals and are characterized by a nutty flavor.
The flowers and fruits of lamb’s lettuce are blue, and gather in the heads of the inflorescence at the top of the stem. The flower crown consists of five petals. The fruits are small, flattened at the sides. Lamb’s lettuce is an unpretentious vegetable that is easy to grow. It should get plenty of sun and grow in any soil.
Lamb lettuce does not need many nutrients. It is thus an ideal crop. Next to lettuce you can plant onions, which need similar conditions.
How to plant lettuce correctly?
The seeds should be placed in two rows at intervals of 5-8 centimeters, and should be at a maximum depth of 5-10 mm. Slightly compact the soil and keep it evenly moist. The next three weeks are important, as this is how you will know if the cultivation has been successful. The seeds must germinate and must not dry out during this time.
The plant grows very quickly. After summer sowing, you can harvest it as soon as 10 weeks in September and October as these young plants get a lot of sunlight. However, they also have a high water requirement, so you need to keep this in mind in summer. However, the plant can also be planted during the autumn. As a winter perennial, it can easily overwinter in the garden. A special fleece is recommended as protection against frost.