Lactuca sativa
Lettuce is a leaf vegetable that is a rich source of Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Additionally, lettuce has anti-inflammatory properties, lowers cholesterol levels, helps control anxiety and has many antioxidant properties.
Click & Grow lettuce is proven to have 3x higher antioxidant levels than fresh lettuce produced in hydroponics and 2x higher than bagged lettuce you get from the supermarket shelves. So, growing lettuce in your indoor herb garden is one healthy choice!
Sprouts in: 1 - 2 weeks
Harvest in: 5 - 6 weeks
- Green Lettuce is heat sensitive and grows best at 18 - 24 °C / 64 - 75 °F.
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Lettuce is an annual plant, it only gives one harvest in total. Transplanting the soil after harvesting gives no results. Even if the growing point is alive it will not give edible leaves for harvesting. It will turn bitter and run to seed (this means flowering).
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Harvesting option 1: Harvest whole plant in 30 to 35 days after planting at once and plant new pods.
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Harvesting option 2: Start harvesting in about 25 days after planting by picking off the larger outer leaves first, moving towards the heart of the plant - the plant will produce more from its basal growing point. Harvest gradually until the plant is 40 days old. This harvesting option is not recommended it the plant is already aged and has stretching growth.
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If you make a cut too low or damage the basal growing point, the plant will die and will not produce more leaves.
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The main concern with lettuces is tip burn (the tips of leaves are browning). It is mainly caused by too warm temperatures and postponed harvesting time (plant older than 35 to 40 days are considered aged).
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Another concern is that lettuce stretches or has “elongated growth”. This usually happens if the lamp is set too high (in case of using two extensions for Smart Garden 9 instead of one), it is too warm or the plant germinated later than other plants and is forced to grow in a shade and does not get enough light. If the plant has stretched growth it makes sense to harvest it all at once and plant new pods.