The romaine lettuce has tall heads with thick ribbed leaves. They are commonly used in Caesar salads, but also in the other Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dishes, and other dishes that require crisp, slightly sweet leaves.
They are considered to be one of the more nutritious lettuce, usually containing vitamins A, B and C and a range of minerals.
The romaine lettuce are better off in well-drained, cool, loose and well-hydrated soils even though they adapt considerably in all soil.
So to have a good looking and attract growing leaves the romaine lettuce seeds should be planted in a good soil that is rich in compost.
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HOW TO PLANT THE ROMAINE LETTUCE
The seeds should be planted in early spring.
Prepare the bed early, probably around the previous fall, put in compost as necessary and make your seedbed ready if you desire an early planting.
Generally, lettuce sprouts well when the place is well lit, so ensure that there is enough sunlight not necessarily directly.
To plant the romaine lettuce seeds directly in the soil, each seed should be 1/8 inch, 1 inch, and 12 to 18 inches deep in each row.
When the plant has two to three true leaves, the distance between brittle head varieties is reduced to 12 inches, and the distance for other types is 6 to 10 inches.
If you plan to transplant lettuce, you should do it at least 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting it outdoors.
Be sure to check the water and temperature for three days before transplanting.
When the temperature is at 20 degrees Fahrenheit, it keeps the plant alive.
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How to care for the Romaine Lettuce
To keep insects or even cold from the baby plants and protect early planted plants from the cold, you can spread a net over the plant.
Keep the soil moist, so that the plants continue to grow.
Cover to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Fertilization helps to promote faster growth.
Water the plants gently but be consistent.
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HOW TO HARVEST THE ROMAINE LETTUCE
Romaine lettuce can be harvested within about 60 to 70 days after planting.
At any time during the growth cycle, all types of lettuce, except icebergs, can harvest mature leaves until the center stem begins to form.
This indicates that the plants are about to germinate, and the vegetables collected from these plants are usually too bitter to be edible.
The whole plant can be harvested in the middle of development, when the leaves are still plump and soft, but before the stems begin to form.
Different kind varieties of loose-leaf lettuce can be harvested multiple times in a growing season after being cut about one place above the ground.
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HOW TO GET SEEDS FROM THE ROMAINE LETTUCE
When lettuce is now very well dried, shake the flower stems in the bag.
Rub the seed heads between your hands to release more seeds.
Put the seed through a fine-mesh sieve that allows the seeds through but retains the chaff and plumes; this will give a relatively clean seed.
For extra cleaning use reverse screening, with a smaller mesh that retains the seed but let’s small pieces or chaff and plume through.
The dust generated during cleaning can irritate the lungs and eyes. If you clean it extensively, use a mask and goggles or clean it outdoors.
IN CONCLUSION
If preserved properly, the romaine lettuce can be preserved for seven years.
To store the seeds of romaine lettuce, put the seeds in an airtight plastic container with a pack of desiccants. Cover the container with a lid and label.
