Lettuce Seeds and Growing Methods

Lettuce, probably one of the most frequently used vegetables, can be grown in several ways. The traditional method is that of planting the lettuce seeds in small plant containers, then transplanting to outdoor beds, or seeding directly and thinning. However, hydroponic lettuce is also a very popular crop. When lettuce is grown hydroponically, or indoors in water, it can be harvested year round.

Hydroponics is nothing more than growing vegetables in water instead of dirt. Dark plastic 5 gallon containers available from a hardware store are suitable for home hydroponic gardening; on the commercial scale, lettuce is grown in vast quantities in green houses. Special hydroponic gardening kits with reservoirs or trays are also available. Lettuce grown with hydroponics reportedly tastes better than lettuce grown in soil.

When using hydroponics to grow lettuce, the seeds still need to take root in a solid medium. When the lettuce plants are sufficiently big enough, the whole medium can then be transferred to water. Nutrients are added directly to the water, and the medium, which can be one of several different products, provides anchorage for the roots.

Growing Conventional Lettuce

One of the main advantages of hydroponics, besides year-round growth, is lack of weed killer, pesticides, and frequent fertilization. However, growing lettuce in soil has its pleasures as well, especially for gardeners who are growing other vegetables. Planting the seeds and harvesting from the earth connects the gardener to the organic world around.

There are many varieties of lettuce, classified into groups by their head type. Some lettuce is much leafier than others. Whether growing outdoors or hydroponically, the gardener has many kinds of seeds to choose from. Traditional favorites can grace the table, or the gardener can experiment with different sizes and structures of lettuce heads, picking the ones most appropriate for the soil and climate.

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