How to plant lettuce

After planting all these lettuce.... we can?

Plant our own lettuce in the backyard.

Become a lettuce planter some day.

Work in the agriculture business.

or even enjoy the lettuce!!!!!!!!! 

Who wants to enjoy the lettuce with me? 

Before we begin to plant lettuce how about singing this great song!

Let's all clap to the song!

Lettuce Facts

Hey kids! do you know that.....

1. Lettuce is a cool weathered plant.

2. It does not withstand hot days well.

3. Leaf lettuce produces crisp leaves loosely arranged on the stalk.

4. The plant has shallow roots so it should always be hoes or cultivated carefully.

5. Leaf lettuce reaches maximum size (6-12 ounces) in 50 to 60 days.

6. When harvested, lettuce.e keeps best at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Lettuce is available all year round

8. It contains 95% of water so it is refreshing.

9. It also contains vitamin B and C.

10. Lettuce was first planted by the ancient Egyptians for the production of oil from its seeds.

11. It was spread to the Greeks and Romans, who gave it the name “lactuca”, from which the modern “lettuce”  name came about.

12. Lettuce Is a member of the sunflower family.

13. Dark green lettuce leaves are more nutritious than lighter green leaves.

Rules for planting lettuce

Hey kids before we plant lettuce let's all take a look at these rules!

1. Selection-
• Healthy seedlings with roots.
• Leaves should  not  be damaged.

2.Light-
• Plant lettuce in a spot that gets four to six hours of sun daily.

3. Climate-
• Do not place lettuce in hot places.
• Needs cool, shady places.
• Soil: Loose, well drained with proper nutrients.

5.Good drainage.  
• If planting in container put holes in the bottom of container.

6. Watering: 
• Lettuce likes moist soil water regularly.
• Water gently.

7. Fertilizers-
• Choose fertilizers wisely.
• Use mostly  compost and manure
• Fertilize lightly if needed.

8.Weeding
• Weed and remove insects by hand.
• Avoid excess chemical insecticides.

Hey kids ready to learn about planting lettuce?

 Take a look at these steps for planting lettuce

Step one- Gather all the things you will need.
•
Some of the things you will need are water, lettuce seed, shovel, hoe or rake, hand gloves and loamy soil.

 Step two-  Prepare the area
•  lettuce should be planted in sunny or partially shaded sites that are sheltered from the wind.
• Loosen up the soil with a pitchfork or broad fork
• . Remove all weeds and large stones.
• Use a rake to create a smooth, level planting surface by combing it and then tamping it gently with the head of the rake.
• If you have very poor soil, you may wish to add nutrients such as compost before planting. Till the soil with a rot tiller, a tractor tiller, or even with pigs!
• Construct a raised planting bed to provide additional topsoil.


Step three-. Prepare the soil.
• Lettuce likes moist, well-drained soil. Loamy soil will help keep the soil moist. It’s much easier to get rid of weeds before the lettuce is planted.
• Give lettuce fertile, well-drained, moist soil with plenty of rich organic matter.
• To check pH, test the soil with a purchased kit, or get a soil test through your regional officer in the Ministry of Agriculture.
• If you don’t do a soil test then  add nitrogen-rich helpers such as blood meal, cottonseed meal, or composted manure.
• Lettuce needs nitrogen to grow tender new leaves quickly, so fertilize throughout the growing season with a good vegetable food.

Step three- Plant the seeds.
• Before sowing the lettuce seeds, ensure the ground has been well dug over and is free of weeds and stones.
• Soil which has had plenty of organic matter added is good for growing lettuce. They like ground which has had manure added the previously, and really benefit from good compost in the top two inches.
• The recommend distance between rows is 12 inches.
• Carefully sprinkle the seeds along the line, trying to drop one seed approximately every 11/2 to 2 inches.
• Keep the soil moist until they germinate.
• Very gently cover the seeds with a tiny bit of soil. The seeds barely need covering at all, but check your seed packet for specific recommendations. The seedlings will usually germinate a week to 10 days.

Step four - Cover your seeds
• Using a hoe, gently cover the seeds with soil. Use the metal head of a rake or a hoe to lightly firm the soil by tamping above the planted seeds.

Step five- Water the seeds.
• If the soil is dry when you are planting the seeds, immediately water the seeds after planting. You should keep the soil moist, as moisture and heat are essential for germination

Step six- Protect your plants.
• Cover the lettuce to protect your plants from cold winds and frost.
• Use a frame (such as metal hoops) to support a cloth, then pull the cloth tightly over the frames and pin it down with fabric staples or sand bags.
• Remove the cloth when the seeds germinate and the plants are visible through the soil.

Step seven- Care for the lettuce
• Lettuce plants are generally resistant to most pests and diseases. Some of the pests that may attack lettuce are slugs and aphids. These can be controlled with insecticidal soap.
• Watering the plant lightly at regular intervals will prevent rotting, as well as burning of the leaf tips. Also make sure the plant has adequate ventilation at all times.