How to grow lettuce indoors

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As with a lot of the other vegetables, fruit and herbs; learning how to grow lettuce indoors is incredibly easy.

Information to get started growing lettuce indoors in your home:

• Choosing & Planting the seeds- What you need to know about which seeds you should pick for the best crop.

There are many varieties of lettuce available to the gardener, and most of them are incredibly simple to grow. However, for the indoor gardener, you may find that it is much easier and more appropriate to grow a loose leaf variety as opposed to the headed variety. 
Not only will this allow you to harvest your plants more than once, but you will find that a loose leaf variety will grow more readily indoors. Plant the lettuce seeds in planters large enough to ensure that the leaves do not touch each other during growth. 
Leave around 7 inches for the larger plants and less for the dwarf varieties.

• Light & Temperature - How to provide the correct environment for your plants to ensure growth.

Lettuce seedlings require low light which should gradually be increased as the plant grows in size. One way to do this would be to keep the plant in a cool, shaded area whilst young and then move the plant into a sunnier area as it matures. 
 Lettuce should not be grown under grow lamps if possible, but if necessary then be sure to use only white fluorescent lights as opposed to incandescent lights as this can cause the plant to bolt. Cool Temperatures are essential at all stages of the lettuce growth period which may prove difficult for those in hotter climates; temperatures of around 12-15 degrees Celsius are perfect. Temperatures over 25 degrees Celsius will stop any growth altogether in seedlings. Hotter temperatures may cause older plants to bolt so move them to a shadier location if necessary. 

Tip - Bolting is when the plants grow bigger and faster than is preferred. This usually causes the leaves to become incredibly bitter and inedible.

• Watering – Watering techniques specifically for lettuce.

For the best growth in lettuce, most varieties like soil to be kept constantly moist. 
A good way to do this is to use a watering tray underneath the plant pot and regularly refill it with water.

Ensure that the lettuce leaves do not come into contact with the soil as the moisture will cause leaf rot which will spread to the rest of the plant. 
You can use a thin layer of sand over the top of the soil to prevent this.

• Feeding & Nutrition – How to make sure that your plants get all the nutrients that they need in order to survive and produce juicy fruits!

Generally, lettuce is such a fast growing crop that it should derive all its nutrients from the soil it is planted in provided that the soil is rich enough. 
 After the first crop has been harvested you will probably find that a feeding or two may speed up the growth period for further harvests. Use a fertilizer low in Nitrogen and high in Phosphorous.

• Harvesting – How to collect your fruit safely and how to maximise crop growth for the future.

When the plants are in the early stages of growth, thin out the weaker seedlings to encourage the stronger plants to grow quicker. 
These thinnings are edible if you wash them first. 
To harvest the lettuce, cut the plant at soil level. You can leave the roots embedded in the soil and with enough light, water and nutrient they should provide another harvest in around 2 months. 
Some varieties may even provide several crop cycles. For the best flavour and crispness, you should use all lettuce as soon as possible after picking it. 

 So there you go! You now know how to grow lettuce indoors whenever you like!   

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