Don’t let the winter blues stop you from gardening! You can start growing lettuce indoors and harvest in 30-45 days!
I will show you how to grow lettuce indoors (or out) in just a couple of steps, + offer you a BONUS printable instructional guide.
Lettuce is so easy to grow, your children can do it!

Lettuce Pots- Growing Lettuce Indoors

I used leaf lettuce for this project because it is one of the easiest crops you can grow, but you can choose any lettuce variety.
Lettuce and other greens are plants you can harvest over and over if you just cut the leaves and not pull the whole plant.
We call these crops Cut and Come Again because you can cut and come back again for more!

Lettuce Pots- Growing Lettuce Indoors. Seed germination.

If you’re like me (most gardeners are) then you have a box of seeds somewhere around your house.
Seeds can be viable for thousands of years, so there’s nothing wrong with keeping (or using) seeds past their prime.
However, you should always test for germination rates before planting old seeds so you know what to expect.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used old seeds without testing, then waited and waited and waited for them to sprout. Nothing. Zip, Zilch, Zero.

The picture below is a perfect example of my most recent gardening fail.
New seeds on the left, old seeds on the right. Planted at the same time, same soil, same love and care.

New gardeners may accidentally use old seeds, see the results of poor germination then think they are to blame.
It’s not you honey, it’s your seeds.

So the moral to the story, if you’re not using fresh seeds, test for germination.
To learn how to test seeds for germination click here for instructions. 

 

How to Plant Lettuce Pots

Supplies

• • Various size pots- I used 4″ and one gallon planter pots
  • Organic Soil or Compost
  • Drain Plate
  • Lettuce Seeds
  • Water and Spray Bottle

Directions for Growing Lettuce Indoors

1. Make sure your container is clean and has good drainage.
2. Fill your planter with rich soil and organic compost.
   I used the black 1 gallon planter pot because they were free at the nursery.
3. Generously sprinkle leaf lettuce seeds right on top of soil.
4. Sprinkle with just enough soil to cover the seeds- about 1/4″ of soil or less.
5. Water daily by misting with water bottle to keep soil moist until seeds sprout.
6. Place lettuce posts in a sunny location by a window

* If it dries out and the lettuce looks dead you may be able to revive it with watering on a regular basis (I have killed and brought back to life many lettuce pots in my day).

Harvest in 30 – 45 Days!!!

Lettuce Gardening Tips

• Ideal temperatures for sowing lettuce seeds are between 45 F and 65 F.
• No need to transplant- Direct sow about 1/4″ deep, rich soil full of organic matter cover with 1/4-1/2″ of soil.
• Lettuce germinates in just three days when the soil is 68 degrees, but soil temperatures over 85 degrees signal the seed to go dormant.
• Keep shaded in warmer weather
• Keep Moist
• Never Harvest more than 1/3 of the plant at a time to keep continuous growth

Printable Instructions for Lettuce Pots

In addition to the above directions, I’ve created a printable instructional guide for you here Lettuce Pots MHL

 

Lettuce Pots Are Quick & Easy Edible Landscape Edging

Edible landscaping? In addition to growing lettuce indoors, you can plant outside for beautiful, edible landscaping.
I should have added “Cheap” to the this as well because this little gardening idea is about the most affordable and attractive landscape edging you can do. The bonus? It is edible! How many people can claim that their landscape edging is edible?

 

 

For other crop ideas you can grow in a short amount of time read

Over 30 Veggies You Can Grow in 52 Days or Less!

 

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