Lettuce: photo, description, cultivation, useful properties, application

Lettuce is an annual herb whose leaves are edible. It is used for serving, as well as an addition to vegetable, meat and fish dishes. You can grow it at home on the windowsill. In the warm season, they are grown on the site by direct sowing of seeds into the ground or by seedlings.

Description and types of lettuce

Lettuce is a leafy herbaceous plant with an annual development cycle. It is eaten mainly in the US and European countries. The culture is characterized by rapid maturation and good yield. In Latin it is called “Lactuca”. It is related to the root “Lac”, meaning the word “milk”. The fact is that due to damage to the shoots, plants secrete milky juice.

It is a self-pollinating plant, which makes it easy to grow. Lettuce belongs to the Asteraceae family. There are many varieties of this plant. They are quite diverse, have different shapes and sizes, reach a height of 10 to 180 cm. The most common include:

1. Leaf lettuce – has green or burgundy leaves, and it does not have a head. The edges of the leaf plates are serrated, they are assembled into a rosette.

   

2. Lettuce head – resembles a head of cabbage with a loose structure. It increases in size gradually as it grows. The foliage is serrated or with smooth edges. Heads of cabbage are rounded, but they are also flattened.

   

3. Bubbles – lettuce with wavy leaves, sweetish taste, with nutty undertones. It has several sub-cultivars, such as Frisbee, with dense heads of bright green leaves. Green bowl is a leafy variety with rich green foliage with wavy edges. Lolly bionda is a lettuce leaf with decorative wavy leaves. They are mainly used to decorate flower beds, flower beds.

   

4. Batavian Red Sales – Foliage is dark green with a hint of red. The surface is wrinkled, the shoots grow rather slowly. There is a variety of ores D’Ivcre – a winter variety of lettuce with red leaves.

   

Also, farms grow four varieties of lettuce – chamomile, stem, capitate and puff. There is also lettuce, which is cultivated commercially. It is grown commercially in many countries around the world.

Advantages and disadvantages

Leaves go well with vegetable, fish and meat dishes. Lettuce is often used to decorate dishes.

Lettuce can be grown indoors or on a windowsill

If we review the advantages of the plant, we can highlight several obvious advantages:

• lettuce has a rich chemical composition;
• can produce crops all year round;
• resistant to cold;
• has a pleasant taste;
• has an attractive appearance;
• not picky about care, so even a novice gardener can handle forcing;
• can be planted on the windowsill.

There are no downsides to this culture. But for some, its taste may seem unusual. It is grassy, ​​with nutty undertones, and can be slightly bitter. Also, the disadvantages include the fact that some people may experience allergic reactions. Moreover, such cases are very rare – lettuce in moderation can be consumed by almost everyone.

The composition and calorie content of lettuce

The composition of lettuce includes quite a lot of vitamins and other valuable substances:

• A, group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9), C, E, K, PP
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• manganese;
• copper;
• selenium;
• zinc;
• calcium;
• iron.

The calorie content of lettuce per 100 grams is only 15 kcal. Nutritional value for the same weight:

• proteins 1,4 g;
• fats 0,2 g;
• carbohydrates 1,6 g.

Also in the composition there are dietary fibers in the amount of 1,3 g per 100 g, which is almost 7% of the daily requirement.

Lettuce is low in calories, so it can be used during any diet.

What is useful lettuce

Due to the rich chemical composition, lettuce has certain beneficial properties:

• low-calorie, dietary product;
• calming effect;
• creates a feeling of satiety;
• useful for gastritis, soothes the gastric mucosa;
• diuretic effect – removal of excess fluid, removal of puffiness;
• expectorant effect;
• normalization of sleep;
• help with atherosclerosis;
• improve digestion;
• strengthening immunity;
• constipation prevention;
• help in losing weight;
• increased lactation of milk;
• restoration of the heart.

Harm and contraindications

A vegetable can cause harm only when consumed in excessive quantities – diarrhea, digestive disorders, an allergic reaction. You can not use lettuce in such diseases:

• colitis;
• enterocolitis;
• gout;
• urolithiasis disease;
• exacerbation of intestinal ailments;
• bronchial asthma.

How to grow lettuce

You can grow this crop in different ways – planted in open ground, get seedlings with subsequent transplantation, and also just on the windowsill. In the latter case, it is necessary to organize the correct conditions – temperature, lighting and humidity levels. The basic rules and step-by-step instructions are described below.

Planting seeds in open ground

Lettuce seeds are sown in open ground from the end of April to the first decade of May, when the temperature outside is stable. In the south, this can be done already in early April. The site should be sunny, light partial shade from shrubs is allowed. The bed is located on a small hill, the lowlands should not be chosen, since water accumulates there. The land should be loose and fertile, with a neutral reaction.

Lettuce is planted at a distance of 15-25 cm

The soil is prepared in advance – it is dug up and compost or humus is added in the amount of 10 kg per 1 m². If there is a lot of clay in the soil, it is necessary to close up sawdust or sand up to 3-5 kg ​​for the same area.

Pre-seeds must be prepared:

1. Put in a salt solution (a tablespoon per 1 liter) and remove those that float.
2. Etch for 20 minutes in a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Put overnight in a growth stimulant solution, for example, “Zircon” or “Heteroauxin”.

Next, they act like this:

1. Several rows are planned in the garden with a depth of no more than 1,5 cm. If you grow head varieties of lettuce, the planting pattern is 25 * 25 cm, and if leafy – 15 * 15 cm.
2. Plant seeds in holes.
3. Sprinkle a little soil.
4. Sprayed from a spray bottle.
5. If the temperature outside at night drops below +10 degrees, cover with a film with holes.
6. Periodically, it is removed for ventilation, as well as for watering.

Growing seedlings

To speed up the ripening of lettuce, it can also be grown in seedlings. Seeds are sown in the first half of March, in Siberia – towards the end of the month. You need to buy them from trusted suppliers, first study the reviews. Preparing lettuce seeds for planting is exactly the same.

The soil can be purchased at the store (universal soil for seedlings) or based on garden soil with peat, humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1. It is disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter) or placed in the freezer for several days. After that, it is desirable to add “Azobacterin” or other bacterial fertilizer.

Boxes for growing lettuce are also disinfected with potassium permanganate. Several holes are made in them, then a layer of small stones is laid out, and on top of them – fertile soil. Next, several rows are made 1 cm deep at a distance of 10 cm and seeds are planted at intervals of 2-3 cm.

They put it on the windowsill, the room should have a normal temperature – 20-22 degrees. Top covered with glass or a film with holes, periodically open for ventilation. Water with a sprayer so often that the soil always remains slightly moist.

Lettuce can be grown in small containers

10-14 days after the emergence of mass shoots, lettuce plants dive into peat pots or plastic cups. A few days later, a complex fertilizer is applied, for example, “Ideal” or “Kemira Lux”. Continue to water, if necessary, illuminate with phytolamps installed at a height of 50 cm.

Growing lettuce on a windowsill

When growing lettuce on a windowsill, you need to create suitable conditions:

• temperature not lower than +16 degrees;
• stable lighting for 12-14 hours a day;
• constant humidity level.

If you follow all these requirements, you can grow lettuce all year round. As a rule, prepare several containers and plan to sow every 10-15 days so that the greens appear continuously.

The soil is prepared according to the same rules as for seedlings – the mixture is purchased in a store or made up independently, pre-disinfected. Lettuce seeds are sown in rows with a depth of no more than 1 cm with an interval of 10 cm. Planting can be done densely, since the grains are very small. They are placed in the grooves and sprinkled with soil, after which they are moistened from the sprayer.

The boxes are placed on window sills, the room should be at room temperature, and periodically need to be ventilated. First, lettuce containers are covered with a film, and after the appearance of sprouts, they are removed. If there is enough light, it can be grown in the usual way, and in winter, late autumn and early spring, illumination is organized for 2-3 hours in the morning and evening.

It is necessary to organize regular watering of lettuce, as the foliage dries quickly due to lack of moisture. At the same time, the soil should not be too wet, otherwise the roots of the lettuce may be badly damaged. After the emergence of seedlings, they are thinned out, leaving only the strongest. After another 1-2 weeks, a complex mineral fertilizer is applied.

Further Care

To grow a beautiful lettuce, as in the photo of the plant, you need to organize the right care. Experienced summer residents recommend following these rules:

1. Regular watering of lettuce – at least once a week, and in the heat – twice as often. Water should be warm, pre-settled. It is poured directly under the root, avoiding contact with the leaves. It is best to do this in the early morning or late evening.
2. Periodically loosen the soil so that the lettuce roots receive enough oxygen. At the same time, weeding is done, removing weeds.
3. Thin out lettuce seedlings after the appearance of 4-5 true leaves. It is necessary to ensure that the minimum distance between plants is 20 cm. If you miss this time and wait for the appearance of 6-7 leaves, it will be dangerous to thin out, since you can damage the root system and the plants will suffer from soil microorganisms.
4. If regular watering is not possible, lettuce plantings are mulched with straw, hay, needles or other natural materials. This will allow the soil to stay moist longer, as well as keep weeds from growing and even scare away some pests.

Lettuce needs regular watering

Lettuce can be harvested after 20-30 days or a little later – this parameter depends on the period. It is advisable to take greens in the morning, even before watering. Moreover, they tear it off along with the roots, but if you need to leave the plant, you can simply cut it with a sharp knife. If grown on a windowsill, lettuce will bring greens regularly – 10-15 crops can be harvested per year.

Pests and diseases

The main diseases of lettuce include fungal infections:

• gray rot;
• downy mildew;
• white rot;
• blackleg.

For prevention, it is necessary to treat the seeds and observe the watering rate. For treatment, fungicides are used – “Maxim”, “Fundazol”, “Skor”, Bordeaux mixture and others.

Of the pests, wireworms, leaf aphids and slugs are especially dangerous for lettuce. Insects are fought with insecticides – “Decis”, “Fitoverm”, “Aktara”, “Match”. To scare away slugs, egg, nut shells, mustard powder or ground red pepper are poured next to the beds.

What can be substituted for lettuce

Lettuce can be replaced with similar plants:

• iceberg lettuce;
• Chinese cabbage;
• leaf salad;
• watercress.

Leaves should only be used fresh. They are nicely crunchy and give an interesting taste. After heat treatment, a significant part of the vitamins is destroyed, and the health benefits of such food will be minimal.

Conclusion

Lettuce is an unpretentious plant that can be grown at home, harvesting up to 15 crops per year. There are several types and varieties, so you can choose different crops – head and leaf. They are used for serving and as an ingredient in salads and other dishes.