How to grow lettuce at home?

3 Methods: Traditional Planting Method 2: Fast Method Transplanting Lettuce

Oddly enough, growing lettuce indoors is easy. The lettuce produces a short but bountiful harvest and requires minimal maintenance: regular soil for houseplants, water for irrigation and sunlight are all this plant needs. Lettuce is so easy to grow that you can even ditch the pots and containers and just plant the seeds in the soil in a plastic bag.

Method 1 Traditional fit

Training

1. 

   Choose a salad variety that is suitable for potting. Lettuce grows best at home, especially those varieties with the word "small" in the name.

2. Find a medium sized plastic container.

   The lettuce has a shallow root system, so there will be plenty of room for it in a small pot. Plastic is more suitable than clay because clay walls absorb moisture, taking it out of the soil, which makes it dry faster.

   • If you decide to use a ceramic pot, cover the walls with a plastic bag. Punch holes in the cellophane so that water can drain through them.
   • Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. When watering through them, excess water will drain into a saucer under the pot. This will also allow you to make a so-called watering tray, and this is the way of watering that suits the salad best.
3. 

   Clean the pot. Be especially careful if another plant has grown in this pot before, as bacteria and insect eggs from old soil can move onto the roots of the lettuce. It will be enough to wash the pot of soap with warm water, but you can mix 9 parts of water and 1 part of bleach and rinse the container with this mixture.

4. 

   Take all-purpose potting soil. Lettuce is a very unpretentious plant, so the most common soil is needed. But do not use garden soil, as bacteria and insects can live in it, which will pose a threat to the salad.

5. Fill the pot with soil. The earth should cover almost the entire pot, but not completely. Leave about 2.5 cm to the edge of the pot.

6. 

   Sprinkle some seeds in your left hand if you are right-handed, or in your right if you are left-handed. The lettuce seeds are very small, so the pinch will be small.

7. 

   Take the seeds with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand. You don't need to try to collect all the seeds at once - a small amount will be enough to start.

8. Sprinkle the seeds over the soil. Try to spread them evenly over the surface, but don't worry if they end up far apart.

9. Repeat the process until you have scattered all the seeds.

10. Cover the seeds with soil. The top layer should be no thicker than 5-8 millimeters. If you add too much soil, the seeds will not have enough sunlight, which they need in order to germinate.

11. Spray the seeds with water from a spray bottle. The soil should be moderately moist.

Care and harvest

1. 

   Sprinkle the seeds with water in the morning. The soil must be moist all the time, otherwise the seeds will not germinate. Germination should occur within 1 to 2 weeks after sowing.

2. Water the lettuce every other day to help maintain the moisture level in the soil.

   Depending on how warm and light your home is, lettuce may need to be watered more or less frequently. Check the soil regularly by immersing your finger in the ground 1.5 to 2 centimeters. If the ground feels dry, water the salad again.

   • Try placing the pot in a watering tray. Let water seep into the pot through the holes in the bottom and saturate the soil. This method of watering will prevent root rot and the spread of fungal infections.
3. 

   Place the salad in a cool place. This plant is best suited to room temperature (16 - 21 degrees Celsius). To simulate natural conditions, lower the temperature to 6 degrees at night.

4. 

   Place the seedling pot in the sunniest spot in your home. In order for the lettuce leaves to grow large and strong, the pot must spend at least 14-16 hours a day in the sun.

5. 

   Buy a fluorescent plant light. If the lettuce does not receive enough sunlight, place the pot under the lamp at a distance of 10 centimeters and leave it there for 14 hours daily. Remember to turn off the lamp after this time, because the plant should not be exposed to light 24 hours a day.

6. After the second bunch of lettuce has grown, pluck out the weakest sprouts.

   Leave about 7 centimeters between the remaining tufts to give them enough room to grow.

   • Do not throw away those seedlings that you uproot from the ground. Plant them in separate pots and keep growing or eat them. Small leaves taste almost indistinguishable from full-sized leaves.
7. 

   Apply a mild fertilizer if desired. Lettuce can grow without additional support, but if you mix the fertilizer in half with water to reduce concentration and apply to the soil, the yield will exceed your expectations. Apply fertilizer to seedlings every 7 days for three weeks and then discontinue use.

8. Cut the leaves as needed, or all at once.

   Small leaves taste almost the same as large ones and can be safely eaten.

   • Once the leaves have grown to the size you want, start cutting them from the outside. Leave the inner leaves to ripen.
   • If you want to cut large leaves, the ripening time will take 4 to 6 weeks. Cut or pluck the leaves one at a time, starting with the outer ones. Lettuce that has reached its maximum ripening point produces seeds, so it is important to cut it before this happens to prevent the lettuce from becoming bitter.

Method 2 Method 2: Fast way

1. 

   Cut the corners in a large plastic bag and punch a few holes in it. The holes should be small enough to keep soil from spilling out of the bag, but large enough to allow excess water to drain out.

2. 

   Fill the bag with soil about three quarters. Moisten the soil beforehand.

3. 

   Place the bag on a stand or plate. Excess soil and water can flow out through the holes in the bag, and this will stain the windowsill if you choose to place the bag directly on top of it. Make a special tray to avoid dirt.

4. 

   Take a few dozen seeds in your left hand if you are right-handed and in your right if you are left-handed. Then, using the thumb and forefinger of your other hand, start sprinkling the soil with seeds.

5. 

   Cover the seeds with soil. This layer should not be thicker than 5 millimeters, as otherwise the seeds will not have enough sunlight.

6. 

   Spray the soil with water. There should not be too much moisture, as otherwise the seeds will float in a puddle, and water mixed with the earth will start pouring out of the holes.

7. 

   Cover the package. If you leave it open, heat and moisture will come out, but if you close it tightly, the air inside will become musty. Leave a small air hole on one side and close the bag completely on the other.

8. 

   Leave the bag on the window, where there is always a lot of sun. Artificial light can be used by placing a fluorescent lamp over the bag. Even if you are growing the lettuce in a bag, the plant still needs 14-16 hours of sunshine daily.

9. 

   Open the bag after the seeds begin to germinate. The sprouts should appear within a week. Continue to spray the soil with water and provide enough light for the sprouts.

10. 

    Pull off the leaves as they grow. The salad will reach full size in just a few weeks. Cut off the outer leaves first, and then move on to those on the inside. Do not wait for the leaves to grow very large - this method of growing does not involve the same leaf size as a normal planting.

Method 3 Transplant lettuce

1. 

   After picking off all the leaves you are going to eat, place the rest of the plant in a glass mold and add a little water there (just a couple of centimeters of water at the bottom will be enough).

2. 

   Place the dish where the lettuce can receive enough sunlight (on a windowsill or under a lamp). New leaves will begin to grow within a few days.

3. 

   Change the water every other day.

4. 

   Cut the leaves as needed. Of course, you won't grow a whole bush, but the new leaves will be enough for one serving of vegetable salad or sandwich.

Tips

• If you have children, plant a salad with them. It is so easy to grow this plant that a child can cope with it with a little help from parents. You can start with the second method as this will make the salad grow faster and will be easier to plant.

Warnings

• When adding fertilizer to the soil, do not accidentally fall on the leaves. Apply the solution to the soil only.
• Rinse all home grown vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating.

What do you need

• Lettuce seeds
• Plastic container or pot
• The soil
• Plastic bag with clasp
• Scissors
• Spray
• Unconcentrated fertilizer
• Lamp for plants
• Garden knife or scissors

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The salad contains a huge amount of nutrients. Therefore, many lovers of this greenery want to grow it not only in their summer cottage, but also at home. Is it possible to grow lettuce from seeds on a windowsill at home? This will be discussed further.

Is it possible to grow lettuce on a windowsill

Lettuce can be grown at home as well. Both in winter and summer. But this plant at home requires a lot of attention.

For his growth needs a lot of sunshine... On short winter days, it needs additional lighting. If there is not enough light, it begins to bloom early. Does not tolerate drought, heat. In this case, the leaves become bitter. Beginners should not take on growing head forms in an apartment. They are very moody.

This is an early maturing culture. To constantly have greens at home, it must be planted 1 time in 10 - 14 days.

The best varieties of lettuce to grow at home

Batavia is the most suitable salad variety for an apartment

The most suitable variety for an apartment is considered Batavia... In grocery stores, it is most often sold.

It grows even without additional illumination. Can withstand short-term drought, high air temperatures.

The most famous varieties for cultivation on the windowsill:

• Lollo rossa
• Emerald lace
• New Year
• Lollo bionda
• Vitamin

Lolla rossa is distinguished by its brown head, curly light green leaves. Counts the most vitamin... Delicate in taste.

Lolla bionda - the most beautiful... The leaves are wavy. Yellow-green color. The taste is pleasant, bitter with a nutty flavor.

The apartment also grows watercress... This is a moisture-loving plant. The best varieties for the windowsill:

• curly;
• pepper;
• broadleaf;
• ordinary.

Broadleaf watercress

Choosing a container for sowing and preparing the soil

Lettuce roots do not go deep into the soil. Large containers are not needed to grow it. Better to choose a plastic pot. The capacity should be volume of 1-2 liters... Depth - 10 - 35 cm. Depending on the variety. There should be holes at the bottom of the container.

The soil can be purchased at the store or used garden soil. Acidic soil is not suitable for planting. Better option - a mixture of sod land, humus, sand... Another option is garden soil, coconut fiber, vermicompost. The ratio of the latter two is 2: 1.

For sowing, it is necessary to use drainage: pebbles, expanded clay, broken brick, small stones.

When using garden soil, the soil should be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The soil is filled into the pot, not reaching the edges of 2.5 - 3 cm.

Some varieties can be grown without soil... One of them is watercress. For cultivation, they use such improvised materials as a sponge, cotton wool, paper.

Some lettuce varieties can be grown without soil - on paper or cotton wool

Sowing seeds

• Before sowing, seeds are disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate. Time - 2-3 hours.
• A drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the pot.
• The drainage is covered with earth. Watering.
• Make a groove. Depth - 5 mm... Distance between rows - 10 cm.
• Seeds are placed in the groove. Fall asleep with a small amount of earth. Slightly compacted.
• Cover the container with a bag - create a greenhouse effect.
• They are placed in a dark place.
• When the first shoots appear, the bag is removed. Transferred to the windowsill.

The first shoots can be seen after 4 - 5 days... You need to protect it from direct sunlight. On bright sunny days, it is necessary to shade it - the leaves can burn.

The salad loves warmth. For its good growth, a temperature of 17-21 degrees is required. During a strong drop in temperatures outside, the container with plants should be removed from the windowsill.

Culture needs thinning... This is done 2 times:

1. After 1 week, as the first shoots appear; Leave a distance of 1–2 cm between them.
2. When 2 true leaves are formed; Distance - 4-5 cm.

If the lettuce grows densely, you will not be able to get a good harvest.

Lettuce needs to be thinned twice

Watering

Watering should be abundant... With insufficient soil moisture, arrows begin to form earlier than usual. Watered with settled water 1 time in 1 - 2 days.

If the container is on the south side, more often. In winter - less often. It is impossible to moisturize the soil too much - the roots and lower leaves will begin to rot. The air in the room should be humidified.The leaves are sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

Top dressing

Feed Once every 1.5-2 weeks... Fertilizers are suitable for indoor plants. It is a fast growing culture. If fertile soil was chosen for planting, it grows well without them.

You cannot apply a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers - lettuce is capable of accumulating nitrates. If you use a potassium iodide-based top dressing, you can get a plant with a lot of iodine in the composition.

Lighting

Light-loving plant. In winter, in short autumn - spring days, you need to use additional lighting - fluorescent lamps. They need to be turned on for 2 - 5 hours. Hang it at a height of 50 - 60 cm above the plant.

Daylight hours when growing lettuce should last 12-14 hours

In total, daylight hours should last 12-14 hours... It is impossible to highlight during the day. The greens need to rest.

If it is not possible to add additional lighting to the plant, it is best to plant it at the end of winter.

Loosening

Lettuce has very fragile, superficial roots. Loosen the ground under the seedlings it is forbidden.

Harvesting

Greens grow quickly. It can be harvested over a period of several weeks. Plugged out by the roots or the outer leaves are torn off... Arrows form after 3 to 5 weeks. The plant is removed. Other seeds are sown in its place.

Experienced gardeners plant salad every 10 days... 40-50 grams of greens are obtained from one plant. But it all depends on the variety.

Lettuce can be grown both outdoors and at home. But when planting it in an apartment, you need to remember that it requires daily care.

1. This is a moisture-loving plant. The soil should always be slightly damp. But excess moisture can kill him.
2. The best place is a windowsill on the south, southeast side. It is impossible to grow it without enough light at home.

Growing fast. Doesn't take up much space. But you need to choose the right variety for the pot.

The correct cultivation of lettuce on the windowsill from seeds

The salad contains a huge amount of nutrients. Therefore, many lovers of this greenery want to grow it not only in their summer cottage, but also at home. Is it possible to grow lettuce from seeds on a windowsill at home? This will be discussed further.

Lettuce can be grown at home as well. Both in winter and summer. But this plant at home requires a lot of attention.

For his growth needs a lot of sunshine... On short winter days, it needs additional lighting. If there is not enough light, it begins to bloom early. Does not tolerate drought, heat. In this case, the leaves become bitter. Beginners should not take on growing head forms in an apartment. They are very moody.

This is an early maturing culture. To constantly have greens at home, it must be planted 1 time in 10 - 14 days.

Batavia is the most suitable salad variety for an apartment

The most suitable variety for an apartment is considered Batavia... In grocery stores, it is most often sold.

It grows even without additional illumination. Can withstand short-term drought, high air temperatures.

The most famous varieties for cultivation on the windowsill:

• Lollo rossa
• Emerald lace
• New Year
• Lollo bionda
• Vitamin

Lollo Rossa Emerald Lace New Year's Lollo Bionda Vitamin

Lolla rossa is distinguished by its brown head, curly light green leaves. Counts the most vitamin... It has a delicate taste.

Lolla bionda - the most beautiful... The leaves are wavy. Yellow-green color. The taste is pleasant, bitter with a nutty flavor.

The apartment also grows watercress... This is a moisture-loving plant. The best varieties for the windowsill:

• curly;
• pepper;
• broadleaf;
• ordinary.

Broadleaf watercress

The roots of the lettuce do not go deep into the soil. Large containers are not needed to grow it. Better to choose a plastic pot. The capacity should be volume of 1-2 liters... Depth - 10 - 35 cm. Depending on the variety. There should be holes at the bottom of the container.

The soil can be purchased at the store or used garden soil. Acidic soil is not suitable for planting. Better option - a mixture of sod land, humus, sand... Another option is garden soil, coconut fiber, vermicompost. The ratio of the latter two is 2: 1.

For sowing, it is necessary to use drainage: pebbles, expanded clay, broken brick, small stones.

When using garden soil, the soil should be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The soil is filled into the pot, not reaching the edges of 2.5 - 3 cm.

Some varieties can be grown without soil... One of them is watercress. For cultivation, they use such improvised materials as a sponge, cotton wool, paper.

Some lettuce varieties can be grown without soil - on paper or cotton wool

• Before sowing, seeds are disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate. Time - 2-3 hours.
• A drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the pot.
• The drainage is covered with earth. Watering.
• Make a groove. Depth - 5 mm... Distance between rows - 10 cm.
• Seeds are placed in the groove. Fall asleep with a small amount of earth. Slightly compacted.
• Cover the container with a bag - create a greenhouse effect.
• They are placed in a dark place.
• When the first shoots appear, the bag is removed. Transferred to the windowsill.

The first shoots can be seen after 4 - 5 days... You need to protect it from direct sunlight.

On bright sunny days, it is necessary to shade it - the leaves can burn.

The salad loves warmth. For its good growth, a temperature of 17-21 degrees is required. During a strong drop in temperatures outside, the container with plants should be removed from the windowsill.

Culture needs thinning... This is done 2 times:

1. After 1 week, as the first shoots appear; Leave a distance of 1–2 cm between them.
2. When 2 true leaves are formed; Distance - 4-5 cm.

If the lettuce grows densely, you will not be able to get a good harvest.

Lettuce needs to be thinned twice

Watering should be abundant... With insufficient soil moisture, arrows begin to form earlier than usual. Watered with settled water 1 time in 1 - 2 days.

If the container is on the south side, more often. In winter - less often. It is impossible to moisturize the soil too much - the roots and lower leaves will begin to rot. The air in the room should be humidified. The leaves are sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

Feed Once every 1.5-2 weeks... Fertilizers are suitable for indoor plants. It is a fast growing culture. If fertile soil was chosen for planting, it grows well without them.

You cannot apply a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers - lettuce is capable of accumulating nitrates. If you use a potassium iodide-based top dressing, you can get a plant with a lot of iodine in the composition.

Lighting

Light-loving plant. In winter, in short autumn - spring days, you need to use additional lighting - fluorescent lamps. They need to be turned on for 2 - 5 hours. Hang it at a height of 50 - 60 cm above the plant.

Daylight hours when growing lettuce should last 12-14 hours

In total, daylight hours should last 12-14 hours... It is impossible to highlight during the day. The greens must rest.

If it is not possible to add additional lighting to the plant, it is best to plant it at the end of winter.

Lettuce has very fragile, superficial roots. Loosen the ground under the seedlings it is forbidden.

Harvesting

Greens grow quickly. It can be harvested over a period of several weeks. Tear up by the roots or tear off the outer leaves... Arrows form after 3 to 5 weeks. The plant is removed. Other seeds are sown in its place.

Experienced gardeners plant salad every 10 days... 40-50 grams of greens are obtained from one plant. But it all depends on the variety.

Lettuce can be grown both outdoors and at home. But when planting it in an apartment, you need to remember that it requires daily care.

1. This is a moisture-loving plant.The soil should always be slightly damp. But excess moisture can kill him.
2. The best place is a windowsill on the south, southeast side. It is impossible to grow it without enough light at home.

Growing fast. Doesn't take up much space. But you need to choose the right variety for the pot.

Growing lettuce on a windowsill to get fresh herbs +

WaterPlant potWater canPolyethyleneSoilSprayerSaladScraperGlass

How, in winter, you want to crunch with juicy leaves of greenery, and not purchased in a supermarket with a whole set of nitrates, but environmentally friendly, just collected. In this case, you need to master the cultivation of lettuce on the windowsill, especially since there is no particular difficulty in this, because the culture is early ripening and unpretentious.

Preparing a place for a room "bed"

For each culture on the windowsill, be it parsley, dill or green onions, you need a special container. And as a dish for sowing salad, almost any container with a depth of at least 20-25 cm is suitable. These can be plastic or wooden boxes, flower pots.

Green plantings look very original in ordinary kitchen utensils, which it is a pity to throw away and cannot be used, for example, an old teapot or a broken favorite cup. With this, your room "beds" will also become a design element of the interior.

Just remember to create a drainage layer so that excess water runs down and does not accumulate around the roots.

Advice: apart from traditional expanded clay, pieces of ordinary synthetic winterizer can be used as drainage. It perfectly absorbs excess moisture, and when the soil in the pot dries up, it will give it back. about growing salad at home

Now for the soil. Of course, it is easier to purchase ready-made soil for seedlings, but why spend money if you can save money. To grow a salad, land from a vegetable garden, flower beds or even a nearby park is quite suitable.

The main thing is that it has a dense structure, because the crumbly soil with a high content of sand will dry out quickly and the moisture-loving salad may not get moisture.

There will be enough nutrients in ordinary soil for the development of early ripening lettuce, but if you still doubt its fertility, then you can add a part of humus or concentrated organic fertilizer Humate.

It is recommended to disinfect the prepared soil by warming up in an oven or microwave or generously watering it with a solution of potassium permanganate. In this way, unwanted microorganisms and fungal spores are killed. You need to fill the pots with soil not to the top, leave about 1.5-2 cm to the edge - it will be more convenient to water this way, and the earth pushed out by the growing root system will not fall out.

There will be enough nutrients in ordinary soil for the development of early ripening lettuce

Prepared containers with crops are placed on the southern or southeastern windowsills to provide the salad with maximum illumination on short winter days.

Sowing rules and norms

It is possible to get a good harvest of lettuce in a limited amount of soil only if the sowing norms are observed. This is especially true of leafy or cabbage varieties, the excessive thickening of which does not allow the rosette to form successfully.

Sowing lettuce in boxes, leave at least 10 cm between the rows, and the seeds are buried no more than 0.5 cm. Following these tips, we proceed to sowing:

• the soil before sowing is watered or abundantly moistened from a sprinkler;
• the surface is leveled and shallow grooves are made using a wooden stick;
• sow seeds, leaving 2-3 cm between them - as the outlets grow, the extra ones will break down for consumption, and the rest will continue to grow;

It is possible to get a good harvest of lettuce in a limited amount of soil only if sowing norms are observed

• now the box is placed in a warm place and covered with a piece of glass or wrapped in transparent plastic wrap to keep moisture better and the seeds germinate faster;
• after the first shoots appear, they are transferred to the windowsill, to a cooler and well-lit place.

In the future, simple care and care of crops will bring the first harvest of tender, juicy, environmentally friendly greenery.

Crop care and harvest

The main conditions for growing moisture-loving lettuce are regular, moderate watering. Young plants do not need much water, but as they grow, the frequency and volume of watering will increase.

The temperature regime is also important. We prefer cool salad, but an increase in temperature above + 15 ° C leads to drying out of the tips of the leaves, loss of taste, and will most likely provoke the shooter's rosette. Therefore, it is better to place containers with crops on a loggia, a glazed balcony, on a window in a corridor or on a veranda, where it is not hot and the temperature does not drop below + 5 ... + 7 ° C.

And a few more words about illumination. With spring sowing, lettuce seedlings will have enough natural daylight. But in late autumn - early winter, when daylight hours are minimal and the weather is cloudy for most of the time, additional lighting will be required, otherwise the plants will stretch out and you will no longer grow a juicy green mass.

With spring sowing, lettuce seedlings will have enough natural daylight

Mineral dressing for the salad is not needed, the nutrients contained in the soil will suffice for its short growing season.

It is unreasonable to use traditional organic fertilizers in an apartment because of the characteristic smell.

The only way to "support" the growing salad sockets is to add the same Humate during watering - it is useful, harmless and does not smell, but you can do without fertilizers altogether.

With proper care, the first crop can be harvested in about three to four weeks.

Of course, in leafy or head varieties of lettuce, the first crispy leaves can be pinched off even earlier and use the greens gradually, without waiting for the formation of a full-fledged rosette.

And by sowing seeds periodically, at intervals of 1-2 weeks, you will provide your family with fresh greens during the entire cold period.

Features of growing watercress

An almost win-win option to get fresh greens in winter, and besides, without any hassle, is watercress on the windowsill. It can be successfully grown in any small bowls or dishes, on trays, or even just in a shoe box lid covered with polyethylene.

It is even easier with the substrate: it can be a 2-3 cm layer of ordinary soil, peat or even sawdust.

If this is also at hand, then a soft cloth folded in several layers, paper towels, ordinary table napkins or sponges, for example, moistened with water and laid in a plate, are suitable for germination of seeds.

Seeds of watercress are sown densely enough so that the growing tender stems support each other and do not fall. Seedlings appear faster than those of leafy varieties, no later than 5-7 days, and the seedlings themselves are more patient with the growing conditions - the cool air is favorable for them, + 15 ... + 17 ° C, the air at the window, and the meager winter sun is enough for them ...

about how to grow watercress

Advice: children are especially enthusiastic about home "beds", and if they are entrusted with growing tender greens on their own, then they will eat it with great appetite!

The main thing in growing watercress is in no case to prevent the soil from drying out, which can quickly and irrevocably destroy crops, but the stagnation of excess water also leads to root rot.

The first crop of watercress is harvested when it grows to 8-10cm. Plants are carefully cut with scissors just before eating - such greens are stored for a short time.Considering that almost all varieties of watercress grow quickly, it is recommended to sow them every 3-4 days so that the delicate greens on your table are not transferred.

• Vladimir

Growing lettuce on the windowsill and in the open field

Today, every meal starts with a salad, and there are good reasons for that.

The fact is that raw vegetables and herbs do not require a large amount of gastric juice for digestion, but by their appearance in the stomach they provoke the active work of the glands that secrete it.

As a result, the "heavy" food eaten after the salad gets into an environment favorable for digestion, which makes food intake healthy and healthy.

Today we will tell you about growing lettuce on the windowsill and in the open field.

Useful properties of salad

Modern nutritional science believes that lettuce leaves are the ideal start to any meal. Several substances give it the beneficial properties of salad.

The alkaloid lactucin gives the salad a bitter taste, but at the same time quickly activates the secretion of gastric juice and accelerates metabolism several times.

Also, lettuce leaves contain a large amount of carotenoids, which help to maintain visual acuity and youthful skin for a long time, and daily consumption of this 100g of lettuce will help to avoid Alzheimer's disease in old age.

The B vitamins included in the salad cause its calming effect on the nervous system, as well as improve sleep and normalize blood pressure.

Young lettuce leaves and cabbage cabbage varieties contain a large amount of folic acid, which has a beneficial effect on the reproductive function of the body. The beneficial properties of the salad make it an indispensable dish on the menu of people with diabetes mellitus.

This indispensability is explained not only by the fact that the salad is low in calories, but also by the fact that it contains a large amount of vitamin K, which is able to regulate blood clotting.

Variety of salads

Growing lettuce begins with the selection of varieties. Today, there are more than a hundred types of lettuce, differing in shape, color, taste of leaves and ripening period. All species are conventionally combined into two groups - leafy and headed.

As a rule, all plants are consumed fresh, and the salad retains its useful properties for 5 hours after cutting from the root. They can be stored at temperatures from + 10C to + 40C and air humidity of 90%.

It is in this state that the salad is stored on supermarket shelves, but growing salad on your own plot and with your own hands, of course, makes it much tastier and healthier.

Lettuce is an unpretentious plant

Lettuce is an annual plant in the cruciferous family. Like most representatives of this family, lettuce is a light-loving and cold-resistant culture, and the fast ripening period, from 35 days, allows you to get an excellent harvest of vitamin greens in early spring. This is such an unpretentious culture that lettuce seedlings can successfully develop in an apartment on a windowsill.

How to grow salad on a windowsill

To grow lettuce on the windowsill you will need:

The volume of the container for growing lettuce directly depends on the type of plant.

If you plan to grow a juicy rosette of large leaves, then you should choose a container at the rate of 400 cm2 per root, that is, the width and length of the container should be at least 20 cm, while the depth of the container should be at least 25 cm. area - 900 cm2 (30X30), respectively, the depth should be at least 35 cm.

The structure of the root system of lettuce assumes the surface occurrence of the bulk of the roots, therefore, the soil for growing this plant should be as moisture-absorbing as possible so that the thin roots in the upper layers of the soil do not dry out.

The optimal ratio of ingredients in a soil mixture for a salad is as follows: 1 part of garden soil, 1 part of peat, 1 part of compost.

Add 1 kg of sand, 1 kg of wood ash, 1 tablespoon of nitrophosphate, 1 teaspoon of urea to a bucket of the finished mixture.

In this case, it is better to use a synthetic winterizer as drainage. Folded in several layers, this material is able not only to absorb excess water during irrigation, but also to create a favorable microclimate on the windowsill by passively humidifying the air.

Plastic wrap is needed to create a greenhouse effect over the seedlings.

Young juicy lettuce leaves need a lot of water.

A small root system is not able to fully satisfy this need, therefore, daily spraying of plants will help them correctly and fully form a tasty and healthy crop. When purchasing a watering can, you should pay attention to the gander.

Since lettuce forms a dense forest of greenery on the windowsill over time, it will not be easy to get to the opposite side of the container, so the watering gander should be long and thin.

Intensive growth of lettuce is possible with good nutrition. Every week it must be fertilized with any complex liquid fertilizer. If you prefer organic fertilizers, then once a week you should feed the plant with an aqueous solution of mullein (1:10)

For the successful cultivation of lettuce between November and February, additional lighting is required in the evening. A fluorescent lamp suspended above a container with plants at a height of 50 cm will fully compensate for the lack of sunlight.

For growing lettuce on the windowsill, early ripening varieties are suitable, for example, Odessa, Maisky, Mustard leaf, Kochanny, Moscow leaf.

In a container filled with ready-made soil mixture, seeds are sown in a row manner. As a rule, lettuce seeds have excellent germination, so you should not thicken the crops.

After sowing the seeds, the soil is compacted with a paint roller and watered, then a plastic film is pulled over the container.

In this state, the container is on the windowsill until the first shoots. As soon as the first shoots have appeared, the film must be removed, the seedlings must be thinned out.

Further care for the salad on the windowsill consists in watering, spraying and weekly fertilizing with fertilizers.

In no case should you loosen the soil in the container - you can damage the surface roots, and the plant will slow down its growth for a long time. After 30 - 35 days, you can already enjoy the first juicy lettuce leaves.

How to grow lettuce outdoors

You can get early young salad greens on your personal plot. There are two options for forcing early greens - a seedling method of growing and a winter sowing of seeds.

Growing seedlings

Growing seedlings is fraught with certain difficulties, therefore, before choosing this method of growing lettuce, it is necessary to weigh the pros and cons.

The first difficulty lies in the choice of the sowing date. Despite the fact that lettuce is a cold-resistant plant, a short-term drop in temperature below -20C can be fatal for it.

At the same time, seedlings at the age of 14 days should already be transplanted into open ground, since there is already little food for the plant in a peat-humus pot.

Therefore, sowing seeds should be 14 days before the moment when positive air temperature is supposed to be established.

The second difficulty lies in the fact that the salad does not tolerate transplanting, therefore, seedlings should be grown either in peat-humus pots or in peat cubes. The mixture for filling the pots is prepared in the same way as for growing lettuce on the windowsill.

Seeds are sown in filled pots or cubes, 2 pcs. then the seedlings are thinned out, leaving one plant in a pot.After a week, the plants are fertilized with any liquid complex fertilizer or an aqueous solution of slurry (1:10).

At the same time, the seedlings begin to harden - the gradual adaptation of the seedlings to the open air.

Winter sowing of lettuce

This option is ideal for getting an early harvest of lettuce, because in spring the seeds will hatch exactly at the moment when the threat of severe frosts has passed.

Sowing lettuce seeds should be in the already prepared soil, and for this it is necessary to add 1 bucket of compost, 1 kg of wood ash, 3 tablespoons of nitrophoska, 3 teaspoons of urea per 1 m2 for digging. At the end of October, lettuce seeds are sown in a row manner on the formed beds.

The distance between the lines should be at least 30 cm, the seeding rate must be doubled, since during the winter nature itself will make natural selection - some seeds will freeze, some will be eaten by mice.

Salad care

In the spring, the first step is to remove excess plants and sow the seedlings. As mentioned above, lettuce has superficial roots and therefore needs a large nutrient area, so the distance between plants in a row should be 25-30 cm, the distance between rows should be 30-40 cm.

A short growing season will require systematic watering. The salad will have a positive effect on spraying and on the introduction of complex fertilizers. The salad does not need loosening, moreover, during such a procedure, the surface roots of the plant can be damaged.

Pests and diseases

The most vicious enemy of lettuce on the backyard is the slug. You can get rid of this pest exclusively by hand.

Lettuce is susceptible to diseases such as downy mildew, gray and white rot, black leg. Since it is impossible to process delicate greens with chemicals, the only way out is to pull out and burn the diseased plant.

You can prevent damage from such diseases with the help of the correct alternation of crops on the site - lettuce can be planted in one place 3 years after any representatives of cruciferous plants have grown there.

Harvesting

Leafy salads reach maturity within 30-35 days after sowing the seeds. After the first collection of leaves, the plant can be left in the garden and after 2 weeks a second harvest of useful greens can be harvested.

You can extend the stay of lettuce in the diet by re-sowing seeds in early May.

Unfortunately, the summer harvest will be the only one - with an increase in temperature and dry air, the plant will tend to shoot.

The head lettuce is ready to eat after the head is formed.

You can get another harvest of such a salad - after cutting a ripe head of cabbage, the plant is left on the root and in a week, young trunks with a rudiment of a head of cabbage will appear on the root collar.

One head of cabbage should be left on one plant, and the rest should be carefully removed. This head of cabbage, of course, will be smaller in size than its predecessor, but it will not be inferior in taste and nutritional value.

A vegetable garden on the windowsill: 25 plants for salad and coziness

/ Lifestyle / Entertainment

A spring garden at home is a million in one: eco-style praised by Scandinavians, saving on vitamins and fun for the whole family.

We checked that you can easily grow on the windowsill, and with which you will have to be very confused; where to get by with improvised means, and where it is better not to save; which plants should be grown from seeds, and which ones should be grown from residues not included in the salad.

Devices

It is possible to grow fresh herbs at home without any special tools at all, by planting seeds in packing trays from vegetables and herbs, yogurt cups or containers from "Doshik".

However, for beauty and style, it is better to purchase special pots or boxes - wide, but not deep.

It is convenient if they are equipped with special lids to create a greenhouse effect, although it can be achieved by simply covering the pot with plastic wrap or packing it in a transparent bag from the nearest Magnet.

The same principle applies to tools - you can dig into the ground with improvised means, but why, if for a decent mini-shovel and rake in Fix Price they ask for only 50 rubles? You will also need a spray bottle or a watering can with a nozzle for "rain" and a bottle for settling water - it is too cruel to water the young greens with tap water.

The most stylish pots and watering cans were seen at Ikea this spring, although their prices are not the most democratic (the Bittergurka watering can made of white eco-ceramics is 799 rubles, and this is already with a seasonal discount). The most fashionable ones can also go broke on garden gadgets - hydroponic beds, aqua farms and mini-greenhouses - you can check the capabilities of the technology, for example, by following the link.

It is better to go to the store for the ground. Digging up on the nearest lawn or grandmother's dacha is not an option, since the street land is full of not only weeds, but also insect larvae that have no place in the kitchen.

Ideally - buy special soil for home vegetables (30-50 rubles for a five-liter package), but if there is no such in the nearest store, soil for indoor plants is also suitable.

You can also spend money on drainage - expanded clay or special pebbles, or you can use crumbled foam or cut corks from bottles of 8 March wine.

Training

Having stocked up with everything you need, we choose a place for the garden. Experts recommend a kitchen window sill - it is more humid and warm there than in the rooms.

However, before trusting expert opinion, decide on a list of plants: some (basil, oregano, spinach) really love light and warmth, while others (marjoram, watercress) need shade and coolness. These can be planted on a glazed loggia.

We plant each type of greenery in its own pot - not only because of differences in care and climate, but also because most plants cannot stand close proximity to others. If there is not enough space, but you want to plant a lot, it is better to use hanging pots or racks.

We fill the drainage at the bottom of the pots, and then lay out the soil. Its thickness depends on what we plant. The seeds can be soaked in a little water for several hours - they are usually wrapped in cheesecloth and laid out in a saucer of water. The optimal moment for planting is when sprouts begin to hatch from the seeds.

Before planting, the soil is loosened, moistened, the seeds are laid to the desired depth, after which the soil is slightly tamped and watered again. Cover with a lid or polyethylene until sprouts appear.

To prevent the plant from growing crookedly, leaning towards the window, the "bed" must be turned 180 degrees daily. An alternative for the lazy is to attach foil to the pot to reflect sunlight.

To use fertilizers or not, each gardener decides for himself. Effective and at the same time safe - ash, chopped banana peel, eggshells or yeast.

Starter level

Even a kindergarden is capable of growing green onions, watercress or parsley on the windowsill. You don't even need soil to plant watercress: the seeds are placed in moistened cotton wool or paper towels. You can also do without a pot - a plate or tray is enough. You need to sow densely so that the plants support each other.

Press the seeds into a damp substrate and place them on a lighted windowsill. It is important to maintain moisture, but not flood. The salad does not like heat - the top temperature for it is 18 degrees. The harvest should be expected in 2-3 weeks.

To renew seedlings, you can either sow new seeds every 3-4 days, or sow a new pallet every two weeks (this rule works for almost all plants that are grown from seeds).

Green onions can also be grown without land.The bulb is placed in a glass of water so that only the root part is in the water. You need to change the water daily to avoid decay. You can also transplant it into the ground - after the roots appear.

It is not necessary to deepen the bulbs entirely; you can plant them tightly - one to one. Celery is also grown through the roots and water. They take as a basis not a root (which would seem logical), but a stump from a leaf.

After the roots appear in the water, they are transplanted into a pot and wait a couple of weeks until new leaves appear.

Mint is grown directly from the branches bought in the store: they are placed in water, and after the roots appear, they are planted in a pots. Only regular watering is important.

Parsley can be grown from both rhizomes and seeds. For the first method, we look for greens in a pot in supermarkets, cut off the leaves, and place the root in wet soil. The first shoots should appear within a few days. To grow not one bush, but a whole garden, we buy seeds.

We plant them in peat cups or directly into the ground. The first harvest will appear only after a month and a half, but it will be renewed during the whole year.

Parsley loves light and water, but it is picky about temperature - it grows equally well on the kitchen windowsill and on an unheated balcony.

It is also difficult to spoil the dill bed. The seeds do not even need to be soaked - they can be immediately planted in moist soil. The main requirement is to ensure frequent watering. The best variety for growing at home is Gribovsky.

Marjoram is also unpretentious - it survives on loggias even in winter and germinates well from seeds. It easily tolerates not only cold, but also a lack of light, but you still have to water it.

Explorer level

Having dispersed "simple" plants, you can go to more capricious ones. You don't have to do anything supernatural - just follow certain conditions.

Basil seeds are planted at a distance of 5-6 centimeters from each other, because otherwise the emerging bushes will be cramped, and the pots are placed in the warmest place in the kitchen, creating familiar conditions for the "Italian".

You can also grow it from cuttings by placing branches purchased in a store in the water and subsequently transplanting them into the ground. Spinach and arugula seeds are not planted deeply - otherwise there is a risk of not waiting for the harvest at all. These plants need both sun and abundant watering. Long - 3-4 weeks - oregano also sprouts.

But here the abundance of water is only harmful: even a small stagnation of liquid can lead to the death of the crop.

Lettuce will be good only in humid air - in a dry and hot room, its leaves will become rough and bitter. You need to water abundantly, but if you pour, the roots will rot.

But the plant tolerates the cold calmly - it will grow on the glazed balcony until late autumn. For home conditions it is better to take the varieties "Lollo Rossa", "Lollo Bionda", "Red Credo", "Odessa", "Vitaminny" and "New Year".

They can be grown from seeds, stalks or rhizomes left over in supermarket pots.

Rosemary needs a wide pot and a thick drainage layer. Seeds do not germinate well, therefore cuttings are often used for planting, which are first germinated in water.

Branches from the market will not work - you need a woody shoot of the plant, which in Samara can only be found in special stores for summer residents or among the spices of the Provincial Market, if you're lucky. After transplanting into soil, the plant needs to be watered - often but in moderation - and trimmed to form a bush.

In warm weather, it is better to transfer it to an open balcony or to a pots outside the window - otherwise the rosemary will not pick up the correct amount of essential oils.

Thyme also needs "airing". It is unpretentious to humidity and heat, but sensitive to lack of light.

Seeds of salad mustard, on the contrary, germinate in the dark, bringing the pots to the light only when the first shoots appear. It is not worth thinning mustard greens - the denser it is planted, the longer it will remain juicy.It is important to ensure watering, and in the summer, rearrange it to a cool place - otherwise arrows will appear, and the leaves will become too sharp.

Level "God"

The most advanced and driven gardeners can swing at the confused crops: strawberries, tomatoes, beans and even figs.

If you follow the detailed advice of practicing gardeners, everything should work out.

Follow this link for instructions on growing tomatoes and cucumbers, sweet and hot peppers, carrots and beans; and on this one we are watching master classes on planting strawberries, blueberries and figs.

There remains only a question of aesthetics - after all, if the greenery on the windowsill still fits into the style of a city apartment, then tomato seedlings and tied cucumbers pretend to be the “Grandfather's shed” style.

In any case, at home it is worth growing only herbaceous plants or small bushes, preferably from the native middle zone. An avocado, for example, on a Samara balcony will hardly live up to the fruiting stage - in nature it is a 20-meter tree growing in the subtropics. It is better to focus on dill and parsley that are close to the heart.

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Growing lettuce on a windowsill

- Growing plants - Garden in the apartment

Salad - an annual plant of the Aster family, found in the wild in Europe and Asia. It has been cultivated for over two thousand years. The ancient Greeks and Romans loved the salad. But this culture became widespread only in the 17th century.

In our country, the salad became famous in the 18th century. Initially, it was served only to the table of nobles. For example, up to 13 different salad dishes were prepared for Count Razumovsky's dinner parties. Nowadays, three types of lettuce are cultivated in Russia: leaf lettuce, cabbage lettuce and romaine lettuce.

On the window, you can grow leaf and head salads, romaine is used as an add-on crop.

The tender juicy lettuce leaves contain sugars, fiber, crude protein, organic acids: malic, citric, oxalic, as well as almost all known vitamins and minerals. Therefore, young leaves and loose heads of cabbage are mainly eaten fresh.

Thanks to the successful combination of potassium and sodium salts, this plant regulates the body's water balance and intestinal motility, and has a diuretic effect. The high content of vitamin C in the leaves stimulates the activity of the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland, promotes the restoration of bone tissue, and gives a therapeutic effect in case of scurvy.

A significant amount of vitamin P reduces increased permeability and prevents vessel fragility. The presence of vitamin E protects carotene from oxidation in the digestive tract, improves its absorption and assimilation.

The salad is recommended as a prophylactic agent against atherosclerosis and hypertension, for removing cholesterol from the body.

The milky juice of lettuce, containing the bitter substance lactucin, was successfully used by the ancient Roman physician Galen to treat diseases of the nervous system.

Fresh lettuce juice is used as a remedy for chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and in a mixture with carrot, beet, turnip juice - for poliomyelitis.

In folk medicine, to relieve increased nervous excitability, it is recommended to drink an infusion of lettuce leaves (0.5 cups of crushed leaves are poured with boiling water, insisted for 20 minutes and filtered).

The root of the salad is pivotal, branched. The shape of the leaves depends on the species. In lettuce, they are ovoid or obovate, with jagged, wavy, scalloped or split edges.

Head lettuce leaves are round, oval or almost triangular, with a smooth or jagged edge. In the center of the rosette, they form rounded, rounded-flat or short-oval heads of cabbage of various densities.

In romaine lettuce, the leaves are elongated or obovate, the heads of cabbage are elongated.

The plant is cold-resistant.Seedlings can appear at a temperature of 0 ... 2 ° C, but the optimum temperature is 12 ... 15 ° C. The culture is photophilous (darkening leads to stalking), and head forms are more demanding on lighting than leafy ones.

However, lettuce reacts to the intensity of light: with a sharp change from a long period of cloudy weather to sunny, leaf burns are observed. With a long day, the plant develops faster than with a short day.

Soils are preferable rich in humus and nutrients, with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

Lettuce, especially leafy, early ripening culture. The duration of the growing season is 30-45 days. Cabbage lettuce is more late in maturing, its growing season lasts 60-90 days.

But this salad has a higher yield and better product quality. It should be remembered that under unfavorable conditions, early ripening varieties bloom faster than late ripening ones.

Several varieties of lettuce can be recommended for home cultivation.

Lettuce varieties

Large cabbage - mid-season. The outlet is medium. The leaves are rounded, with a wavy edge and denticles, bubbly, light green. A head of cabbage is round or flat-round, weighing 200 g. The variety is resistant to high temperatures and dry air.

Moscow greenhouse - early maturing. The rosette is slightly raised, 25-40 cm in diameter, weighing 50-100 g. The leaves are obovate or oval, bubbly, yellowish-green, tender, juicy.

New Year - early maturing. The rosette is semi-raised, 26-30 cm in diameter, weighing 60-150 g. The leaves are obovate, with smooth edges, slightly bubbly, dark green, very delicate and tasty.

Ramses - early maturing. The rosette is slightly raised. The leaves are transversely oval, green, oily, tender, tasty. The head of cabbage is dense, round or round-flat, weighing 80-87 g.

Festival - mid-season. The socket is half-raised, large. The leaves are round, slightly bubbly and slightly assembled, light green, large. The head of cabbage is round, dense, large, weighing 200 g.

Growing lettuce and care

At home, lettuce can be grown all year round. Basically, it is cultivated by seed and less often by seedlings.

Seeds are sown at several times in sowing boxes 50 × 30 cm in size with a soil mixture of the following composition (%): high moor peat 50, lowland peat 40, sand 10.

Add (g) to a bucket of the mixture: lime 200, ammonium sulfate 12-18, superphosphate 15-20, potassium sulfate 8-10, as well as trace elements (half a tablet). Sowing is carried out in rows spaced 5 cm apart.

7-10 days after the emergence of seedlings, the plants are thinned out, leaving a distance of 1-2 cm between them. In the phase of two or three true leaves, it is increased to 4-5 cm. Head forms are placed after 15-20 cm. In the phase of the first true leaf, seedlings you can dive.

The optimum temperature for the growth of lettuce is 18 ... 20 ° C. Plants do not tolerate prolonged heat; when overheated, they quickly shoot, the leaves become bitter. Air humidity is maintained within 76-80%. In cloudy weather and in autumn, it is reduced to 60-70%.

When growing lettuce, you should take into account the culture's exactingness to soil moisture. Overdrying it is unacceptable, this causes coarsening of the leaves and premature steming.

Plants develop well with soil moisture content of 75-85% HB, which requires watering over the entire area of ​​the box, preferably in the morning. For watering, especially on sunny days, do not use cold water: leaves may burn and growth may stop. After closing the rows, watering is stopped.

Further care consists in feeding with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer (1-3 g per 1 liter of water) and loosening the soil.

Lettuce can be harvested 20-25 days after germination (cut off individual leaves or pull out the whole plants). The head lettuce is ready for harvesting in 30-35 days, in winter this period increases to 60 days.

The use of seedlings makes it possible to save space, shorten the growing season and get a better harvest. For growing on the window, head lettuce for seedlings is sown in the second decade of December, for cultivation on a balcony or loggia - in the second decade of March.

For autumn culture, sowing for seedlings is carried out in the first decade of August with a landing in a permanent place in September. Seeds 2-3 pcs.

sown in pots 3 × 3, 4 × 4 or 5 × 5 cm in size to a depth of 0.5 cm (with subsequent thinning) or first into boxes, and then dive into pots (potless seedlings are delayed in development for 10-12 days when transplanted) ). Crops are covered with foil until shoots appear.

In winter, from the moment of emergence of seedlings, the seedlings are illuminated for 6-8 hours a day (morning and evening) with fluorescent lamps with a power of 20 W per 1 m2. Before the pick, the air temperature should not exceed 14 ... 16 ° C, otherwise the plants will stretch out.

The first time the seedlings are watered 6-7 days after the emergence of seedlings. In the phase of one or two true leaves, plants dive into peat pots. Further care of the seedlings is to maintain the air temperature at 16 ...

18 ° C, its relative humidity 60-70%, soil moisture 65-70% HB.

In the rating of usefulness in terms of the content of vitamins, microelements and nutrients, lettuce is confidently in the top ten. And the attitude of housewives and professional chefs to elegant salad leaves has been quite transformed. They have ceased to be a decor and decoration, but have become the main components of independent culinary delights - tasty, healthy and low-calorie. Consider in the article how to grow a salad on a windowsill at home, what methods are popular.

Five types of salad: choose the taste and color

Summer is over, work in the garden has already been completed, and the gardeners have begun a period of "vacation" - a quiet life without the daily hassle of watering, fertilizers, pests and other delights of gardening. But it is rightly argued that gardening is not a hobby. It is a way of life and even a diagnosis. Therefore, having moved from cozy and sincere garden houses to city apartments, people miss the riot of greenery and feel the spiritual need to arrange beds on the windowsill (or on a warm balcony) and continue to surrender to their favorite hobby. Read also the article: → "How to grow onions and other greens in an apartment."

If there is free space on your windowsill, pay attention to the salad - smart, healthy and unpretentious. First, get acquainted with its varieties and characteristics.

Name	Description
Kochanny	The plant forms a head of cabbage. The varietal characteristics determine the density, size and tendency to stem. In turn, heads of cabbage are divided into oily (dense, with tender juicy inner leaves) and crispy, forming dense heads of cabbage with firm crispy leaves.
Half-cabbage	Forms a rosette of leaves raised above the soil surface. The head of cabbage is loose, the leaves are crispy and juicy. Ripening period depends on the variety
Sheet	A developed rosette of leaves of an arbitrary type (depending on the variety). The leaf plate is crispy or malleable and oily. In addition to taste and nutritional properties, it is distinguished by an elegant decorative appearance.
Asparagus	An alien from Southeast Asia with a juicy, dense stem. Two varieties are known, determined by the type of leaves: oval-elongated (short and thick stem) and narrow-elongated with a thin and high stem. The leaves have a bitter taste, which becomes tender and fresh after some time of chapping.
Romain	The varieties of this salad are distinguished by elongated heads of cabbage. Crispy, succulent leaves with distinct signs of graininess

Each of the species described above is suitable for growing at home. However, in the overwhelming number of cases, based on the size of the plant and the speed of growing, amateurs opt for leafy varieties - early ripening, vitamin and unpretentious.

Growing lettuce at home - fresh vitamins all year round

Choosing a variety for planting

It is impossible to grasp the immensity. Therefore, we will focus on a few popular and widespread varieties. They illustrate the nutritional and vitamin qualities of a complete line of home-grown salads.

Name	Description
Arugula	An annual plant with a rich flavor. It has been known since antiquity, when lettuce was ranked among aphrodisiacs (plants that increase sexual activity). The straight stem reaches a height of 40 cm. The leaves are dense, thickened, sparsely hairy or smooth. The composition contains essential and mustard oils, acids, steroids, flavonoids. The plant is rich in vitamins, proteins, fiber, macro- and microelements. It is believed that arugula successfully prevents cancer, the immune system and has an antiviral effect. Calorie content - 25 kcal / 100 g. See also the article: → "Growing leeks, arugula and other greens at home."
Iceberg	Elongated head of cabbage with crispy oblong leaves. The composition contains proteins and fats, carbohydrates and saccharides. The product is distinguished by its content of saturated fatty acids, coarse dietary fiber and ash. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B9, C, E, K, PP, beta-carotene and choline. Elements of potassium, calcium, iron, sodium manganese, etc. Promotes metabolism, maintaining a healthy blood composition, strengthens the nervous system. Recommended for diabetes and obesity. Caloric content - 14 kcal / 100 g
Lettuce	More than a hundred varieties of this plant - headed and leafy - differ in different shapes and sizes. The composition contains vitamins (A, group of vitamins B, C, E, K), micro- and macroelements. The product initiates the cleansing of the respiratory system, is used as a diuretic, has a sedative (calming) effect, lowers cholesterol and improves metabolism. Has contraindications for acute colitis, gout, urolithiasis. Caloric content - 15 kcal / 100 g
Watercress	Thin stem, abundantly covered with green leaves. It is famous for its unpretentiousness and rapid growth - the first crop is removed 15-20 days after planting the seeds. An abundance of vitamins (A, B, C, K, PP), micro- and macroelements. The composition contains sulfur, glycoside, mustard oil, glutopropeolin alkaloid. Cleanses the body, normalizes blood pressure, stimulates appetite. Caloric content - 32 kcal / 100 g
Romano	A subspecies of lettuce in the form of a loose oblong head of cabbage. Juicy crispy leaves with nutty spice. Useful properties are characterized by saturation with vitamins (A, group B, C, E, K, PP). Content of fiber, acids and amino acids, micro- and macroelements. Known positive effect of the novel on metabolism, hemoglobin, blood pressure. Caloric content - 17 kcal / 100 g

With rare exceptions, the use of salads does not entail contraindications. Restrictions are governed by personal intolerance to the product. The calorie content of any variety is low, which makes it possible to use the leaves when preparing various dishes.

Popular varieties of lettuce for growing on the windowsill: 1 - Iceberg, 2 - Romano, 3 - Mitsuna (Japanese cabbage), 4 - Corn (field salad), 5 - Lettuce, 6 - Arugula, 7 - Radicio, 8 - Watercress , 9 - Frisse

Preparing the land for planting lettuce

Preparation of land and containers for growing are no problems. It is recommended to purchase the soil in a specialized store - the earth is suitable for flowers, it is not for nothing that some species belong to the Aster family. Use caution and discretion when using garden soil. Together with the soil, harmful insects and pathogens will get into favorable home conditions. Lettuce is an easy catch for them.

Disinfect the garden soil in one or more ways:

1. Calcination. Put the earth on a baking sheet and place in the oven. At a temperature of 180 ° C, the bulk of pathogens will die in 1 hour. Pay attention to the admixture of plant debris. They can ignite in the oven.
2. Try using an ordinary skillet to ignite. In this case, the earth is stirred and moistened with a sprayer. The disadvantage of the first and second methods is that the temperature also kills beneficial microorganisms.
3. Steaming in a water bath. The procedure lasts 20-90 minutes, depending on the amount of soil.
4. The use of fungicidal preparations. The result is achieved by suppressing fungi and pathogenic bacteria. Manufacturers' recommendations help determine the rate of the substance for the amount of soil.
5. Chemical treatment with copper or iron sulfate, potassium permanganate.

When applying calcining the soil in the oven, pay attention to plant residues that are present in the ground.... During processing, they are capable of igniting. In addition, the temperature affects beneficial microorganisms that will die during heat treatment.

A small amount of land and unrestrained imagination will help to make an original element of plant design in a city apartment

Preparing seeds for planting

The preparation of planting material is a significant factor affecting the future harvest. When purchasing seeds from reputable manufacturers of planting material, do not be lazy to study the instructions and follow the prescribed recommendations. And do not forget about the general rules, universal and tested, that can help to leave only perfect seeds for sowing. Read also the article: → "Spicy herbs - we grow ourselves."

1. When purchasing seeds, inspect the packaging. Do not purchase wrinkled or torn sachets, it is impossible to guarantee the quality of the seeds in them.
2. Visually inspect the seeds before planting. If found, discard damaged ones.
3. Calibrate large seeds with an aqueous salt solution (30g / 1l). After 5 minutes, remove the seeds floating on the surface. Rinse the rest with clean water and dry.
4. Soak in nutrient solution for 6-24 hours (depending on seed size and plant variety).

Tip # 1. Pay attention to the container in which the salad is supposed to be grown. For leafy varieties, a container depth of 25 cm is sufficient.Roots of cabbage plants germinate deeper - make them 35 cm deep.

Cut thin stems of watercress with a sharp knife or scissors

Growing lettuce at home: step by step

The simplicity and vitality of salads gives them the potential for trouble-free growth. Although some nuances are inherent in the cultivation of each variety.

1. Iceberg. Recommended planting in a container of 60x60 cm. The roots of the head lettuce are developed, space is required for growth. Seeds are planted at a depth of 5-7 mm, the planting distance between plants is 12-15 cm. Water the planting, cover with a film to simulate a greenhouse and put it in a cool shaded place. Wait for germination and place the container in the light. When doing this, avoid the south side and direct sunlight. The organization of the backlight is recommended to increase daylight hours up to 12 hours.
2. Arugula. Surface planting of seeds or deepening into the ground to a depth of 10-15 mm is allowed. Seedlings will appear in 3-5 days, and after 7-10 days, remove weak seedlings. Regular watering is essential for this salad. Lack of moisture will result in rough and bitter leaves. Extend daylight hours to 8 hours. Flowers need to be removed.
3. Lettuce. For planting, a container 15 cm high is suitable. Place the seeds at a depth of 0.5-0.7 cm and moisten the soil. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a cool, dark place. When shoots appear, remove the film and place the container in the light. Water once every 2 days.Harvesting will begin after 1 month.
4. Watercress. Suitable containers for growing this species are 8-10 cm deep. The individuality of watercress lies in the fact that it can be grown in inert substances - sawdust or coconut flakes. Even a layer of scalded cotton wool is suitable for growing. Keep in mind that without soil, the plant will need additional fertilization. After placing the container with the fit on the windowsill, rotate it daily. This will allow the lettuce to grow evenly without leaning towards the direction of the light. After 15 days, the plant will grow 6-7 cm and pamper the owner with the first harvest.
5. Romano. A plant unpopular for growing on a windowsill. Although the agricultural technology of its cultivation is not distinguished by excessive complexity and is similar to the cultivation of an Iceberg. Perhaps the fact is that with improper care (violation of the temperature regime, watering), the leaves begin to taste unpleasantly bitter due to the secreted juice containing the bitter alkaloid lactucin. Although a piquant bitterness is present in a properly grown Romano.

All salads are characterized by a significant water content in the composition of the plant (up to 96%). Therefore, the frequency and abundance of watering play a primary role in the development of plants. Moistening the soil is done every other day.

Useful tips for gardeners

Council number 1. Get a spray gun. Lettuce reacts negatively to insufficient moisture, responsive to frequent water treatments, which improve the condition of the plant and its taste. Spray the leaves at least once a day.

Prolongation of daylight hours and regular water bath - lettuce will gratefully respond with good growth and a high yield of vitamin leaves

Council number 2. When preparing the soil for planting, be sure to provide drainage in the form of stones or expanded clay at the bottom of the container (1-3 cm). In addition to the function of water drainage, the drainage layer is intended to saturate the soil under the roots with oxygen.

Council number 3. When choosing a soil mixture for planting, give preference to the soil most saturated with nutrients and trace elements. The short growing cycle allows crops to be grown without additional fertilization costs.

Expert opinion of a specialist

Veronika Sazhina, specialist in mixed cultivation of fruit and vegetable crops: “Responsibly approach the preparation of your own soil. For cooking, take the components in the following proportions:

• peat - 20%;
• rotted manure - 20%;
• compost - 20%;
• garden land - 40%.

Remember to disinfect the mixture to kill pathogens. Add nitrophosphate, urea and ash to the composition. This will accelerate seed germination, increase yields, and nourish the salad with useful substances. "

Common grower mistakes when growing

Mistake # 1. At home, amateurs neglect the observance of the light regime.

The lack of lighting forces the lettuce to stretch in height, slows down the formation of green mass and accelerates shooting and flowering. Varietal and species characteristics dictate the required daylight hours - 9-14 hours.

Mistake # 2. Heat is a spoiled crop.

Lettuce easily tolerates low temperatures, but has a negative attitude towards overheating. A temperature of 15-20 ° C meets the requirements of both leafy and head varieties. Overheating leads to early shooting (appearance of a flower arrow) of these plants.

Mistake number 3. Thickening of the planting.

Despite its unpretentiousness, the salad does not like a thickened planting. This leads to a lack of light, which we have already mentioned, and a lack of supply area. As a result - a slowdown in development, late harvest or even its absence.

Tip # 2. For head varieties, follow the planting pattern recommended by the seed growers. Thin densely seeded leafy varieties, removing weak plants.

Questions on the topic "Growing salad on the windowsill"

Question number 1. How to grow watercress on foam rubber?

Place the foam rubber, the height of which is at least 3 cm, in a container and cover with paper napkins. Saturate with water and spread seeds on top. After 3-5 days, growth will begin, and after another week you will cut off the first vitamin plants. When you are finished harvesting, clean the foam rubber from paper and plant debris, wash, dry and start the cycle again. Do not forget that the foam is kept moist during the growth period. Purchase a compound fertilizer and add it to your water.

The unpretentious watercress grows successfully even in a tea strainer: 1 - put a strainer with seeds in water, 2 - roots sprout from the seeds, 3 - growth begins after a few days, 4 - after a week the salad can be served

Question number 2. Are all types of lettuce suitable for growing on a windowsill, or is a special “home” variety purchased?

Specialty stores sell varieties recommended for growing at home. But you can not waste time on searches, but purchase seeds of an early ripening variety. They will easily take root on a home windowsill or a warm balcony.

Question number 3. I grow Romaine lettuce, but it doesn't form a head of cabbage. Why?

Gardeners form the head of cabbage by hand in this species. 2 weeks before harvesting, the outer leaves are tied with dark material, they themselves do not curl into the head of cabbage. After this procedure, the inner leaves become whitened, become tender and juicy, and lose their bitterness.

Question number 4. What and how many times to fertilize the salad?

Purchase a complex fertilizer - thanks to it, the plant will receive a balanced and nutritious nutrition. Determine the frequency of application following the manufacturer's recommendations. If you prefer organic fertilizers, use a 1:10 mullein water solution. Fertilize once every 7 days.

Question number 5. Do I need to loosen the soil in the container?

No, such an operation should not be performed. The roots are located directly below the surface of the ground and are easily damaged. Moisten the soil and keep it dry. Then a dense, air-tight crust does not form on the surface of the earth.

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