Romaine is an oft - unvalued veggie , relegated to drilling - and - bland status in the kitchen . In truth , romaine can be a crisp , pleasant-tasting backdrop bear out other sapidity , as well as a versatile green that stand up on its own : for model , have you ever try grilledromaine ( pamperer alert , it ’s awe-inspiring ! ) .
Like any green , romaine lettuce is at its honest when picked fresh from the garden . Grocery store romaine can be as much as two weeks honest-to-goodness , far past peak flavor , sustenance , and crispness .
Fortunately , growing romaine lettuce is an easy , no - fuss veggie to add to your garden , and it can even be grown in containers . In this seed to harvest guide we will go over everything you need to know to enjoy homegrown romaine lettuce .
Why Grow Romaine?
tang and freshness are expectant reasons to add a few romaine heads to your garden , but certainly not the only I .
In recent age , cos has been linked with a number of E. coli outbreaks , leading many gardeners to choose growing their own for safety intellect .
In addition , romaine , with it ’s thick midribs and crunchy foliage , is thelettuce varietymost resistant to snail and slugs , which prefer more tender viridity .
Romaine is also more just and thick than other smorgasbord , provide you to grow more plants per square animal foot .
Because of its growth riding habit , romaine stays far cleaner than other lettuces , and is quick for the salad bowl with just a quick rinsing .
By develop your own , you ’ll also be capable to try more miscellany than are available at the store , including some unique heirloom eccentric .
Since cos lettuce is broadly more cold tolerant and bolt resistive than other lettuces , you’re able to engraft it earlier and develop it later , extending your fresh leafy vegetable time of year .
There are a few types of romaine we ’ll discuss that are especially suit to raging and cold-blooded weather and can stretch your season even more .
Varieties of Romaine Lettuce
Before planting , you ’ll necessitate to opt a variety of romaine lettuce . If you are purchasing starting signal , you may be limited to just one or two kinds available at your local garden eye .
If there is a husbandman market near you , it will likely bid a greater range of starts to opt from . Starting with your own seeds will let you to try some fresh or unusual varieties .
Romaine fall in a across-the-board range of colors , with dissimilar degrees of frigid and heat resistance . Some interesting romaine lettuce potpourri you may want to hear :
How to Plant Romaine
In areas that have hot summer and dusty winters , romaine is typically plant in the early spring and late summertime , for two crop per year .
The drop harvest of cos shekels can be direct seeded 6 - 8 week before your first gloam frost . Guidelines for spring planting times are sketch below .
Since romaine loot is a cool weather craw , if you live in a live mood it ’s good to set romaine in the winter .
Purchasing Starts
Buying starts is easier than go romaine from seed , especially if you are a beginning gardener .
The chief downside is that this limits the varieties you could choose from , and is slightly more expensive . For many gardeners , the convenience is deserving it .
Start From Romaine Seed Indoors
you may also lead off your own romaine lettuce simoleons seed indoors , which will allow you to select from a wide range of romaine varieties and get a nous pop out on the growing season .
To grow romaine cabbage from seed indoors :
Tips for Transplanting Romaine
Since romaine seedlings can hold Robert Frost , they can be implant in the garden as soon as the soil can be work .
bread are less likely to know transplant shock than other veggies , but to tighten strain during the transplanting physical process , follow these tips :
sowing romainelettuce seedsdirectly into the garden
This choice is far less work , and will still allow for you to take your own seeds . Romaine seeds are hardy , and unlikely to decompose even in cold , wet ground , so they can be sow as soon as the ground can be worked .
To direct sow romaine lettuce :
Planting Romaine in Containers
romaine lettuce does well as a container planting . If acquire romaine in a pot , make trusted to give each plant at least two gallons of soil . Use a high quality potting intermixture amend with compost .
When planting romaine in container , verify to maintain a flora spacing of 8 - 10 ” between plant .
If transplanting starts , just office romaine seedlings 8 - 10 ” apart in container . When directly sowing seeds in a container , plant seeds 1 inch apart and thin after germination .
How to Care for Romaine Plants
1:Fertilize Regularly
Romaine does good with even applications of fertiliser . Before planting , amend the top three inch of soil with compost .
Never use fresh manure as a fertilizer when growing green ( or any other vegetable , for that issue ) .
After the initial practical app of compost , apply a balanced organic liquid fertilizer every two week ( such as a 10 - 10 - 10 ) .
2:Water Often
cos and other scratch have shallow root systems . Without the power to access deeper origin of piss , romaine require unaccented and frequent watering , with a total of one inch per week of irrigation , to advance good growth .
Keep soil moist , and mulch to retain moisture , but be careful not to overwater as this can lead to solution and foliar diseases . Overhead lachrymation should always be done in the break of day to prevent foliar disease .
3:Extend the season
you’re able to lengthen the natural spring growing period by shielding your plants with a shade fabric when the weather gets red-hot .
In the fall , you hold out the season by keeping your plants warm with floating row cover or cold frames .
How to Harvest Romaine Lettuce
When grown from seeded player romaine takes , on fair , 70 - 75 day to mature . Romaine heads are ready to harvest when they are about 4 ” encompassing and 6 - 8 ” tall .
cos can be reap as mature heads , or as babe greens . If you ’d care to pluck baby leafy vegetable , hold off until your plants are at least one month old .
Pick greens while leaving the growth point entire in lodge to savour multiple harvests . For full sized headway , cut the plant aside at the base of operations .
For spring crops of cos lettuce , harvest before the full heat of summertime hits , as heat will ferment the foliage sulfurous .
Make certain to harvest or protect romaine plants when the weather cool in gloam , as matured plant life are not hoarfrost tolerant like seedlings .
Dealing with Romaine Pests
The two most common romaine pesterer areslugs and snail , aphids , and rabbits .
Preventing Romaine Diseases
All dinero , include romaine , are vulnerable to a range of bacterial and fungal diseases such as Downy Mildew , Schlerotina , Corky Root , and Bacterial Leaf Spot .
Good grow practices are the beneficial fashion to preclude these diseases from postulate clasp in your garden :
There ’s nothing like pee a salad with fresh romaine harvest the same day .
With proper care and maintenance , you ’ll be capable to enjoy two toothsome romaine harvests each turn season .
Written By
Amber Noyes was born and raise in a suburban California townsfolk , San Mateo . She carry a victor ’s degree in gardening from the University of California as well as a BS in Biology from the University of San Francisco . With experience working on an constitutive farm , water preservation inquiry , farmers ’ mart , and plant nursery , she empathise what makes plants thrive and how we can better understand the connexion between microclimate and works health . When she ’s not on the soil , Amber loves informing multitude of new ideas / thing bear on to horticulture , specially organic gardening , houseplants , and growing plants in a little outer space .
