Home Grown Lettuce: The Easy Way

Eating from the garden is the ultimate in freshness! 

     I discovered a way to grow a variety of lettuces for salads; it even works well with spinach. It’s easy as can be! You don’t even need acres of land!  Lettuce and spinach grow best in cooler weather and don't tolerate the heat too well.  Check with your local garden center for the best time to plant in your area. I am in the South and plant in early Spring about a month before we expect the last frost.  If you want to plant a Fall crop, plant about 6 weeks before the first frost is expected.

     Purchase a large bag of Miracle-Gro™ Garden Soil. The bag should be placed in the spot you plan to grow your lettuce.  It can be on the patio or backyard; you pick the spot.  I chose my spot to be close to the garden hose for easy watering. It needs sunshine to grow so consider that when choosing your spot.  If you have rabbits that might nibble before you have a chance to harvest your lettuce, consider putting it up on an outdoor table or pallet.

   With kitchen shears snip X’s on the top of the bag.  I cut 3 inches away from the bag’s outer edges and then spaced the X’s approximately every 5”.  Feel free to do it however suits you, either in a random pattern or in straight rows. I also put 3 small slits in the bottom of the bag to give a bit of drainage to the soil inside the bag. Next, put the garden hose into some of the X’s and allow the hose to wet the soil inside the bag. 

     Now it’s time to plant the seeds. Lettuce seeds are very small but don’t worry if you get 3-4 seeds in each X.  If they all sprout, then simply pluck up the extra sprouts and leave the strongest seedling. I drop the seed(s) into each X and press lightly with my finger.       
     Water with a garden hose nozzle that sprays a light spray so as to not disturb the seeds.  I watered once or twice weekly. Don’t let your “bag garden” dry out.  In about 5 weeks you should be able to pinch off baby leaves and make a salad!  Pinch outer leaves to keep your plant producing. 

Drop me a line and "let-us" know how your garden grows! 

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