This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
This season, make lettuce the queen of your vegetable garden. The curly, the pommée or the romaine will establish the reign of these crunchy leaves that we like to taste just picked from the garden.
On the calendar
Lettuces can be sown indoors from the beginning of May. Planting out of the seedlings is then done towards the end of May, when all risk of frost has passed.
Short on time ? You can also sow the seeds directly outdoors from mid-May for certain regions. Then bury the seeds about 5 mm deep. Leaf lettuces can be sown densely. For the others, it is best to space the seeds about 15 cm apart.
Perfect duo
Kill two birds with one stone for an abundant and regular harvest: when you sow the seeds in the garden, ideally towards the end of May, also sow seedlings that you have bought in a garden centre. The harvest will then begin about a month after the first plantings and will be spread over several weeks.
A few cultivation tips
Lettuce needs semi-shade, moderate heat and rich, moist, well-drained soil. It is important to add a good compost also to nourish the soil as well as a supplement of fertilizer to give taste and flavor to the lettuce. The soil must remain moist at all times.
Warning ! Slugs, caterpillars and snails are fond of lettuce. If you don’t want to share your loot with these critters, it might be wise to put organic bait around your plants.
For harvesting, the ideal is to pick the tender young leaves as they grow. This will delay the time when your plants go to seed. Want to harvest a full head of lettuce? It is then best to cut it with a knife a little above the ground. Thus, the remaining part will be able, in certain cases, to produce a second lettuce for a picking towards the end of the summer.
From the garden to your plate
Once harvested, lettuce will wilt quickly and lose its nutritional qualities. Consume it without delay for maximum freshness! If necessary, you can keep it for a few days in the refrigerator, wrapped in a cloth or in a perforated plastic bag. Avoid placing it near pears, apples and bananas, which emit ethylene, a gas that causes lettuce to rot.