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Lettuce grows best in the cool weather of spring and fall. Time lettuce seed sowing so plants come to harvest before very warm and hot weather, Hot weather will trigger bolting and seed-stalk formation. Bolting can be slowed by picking the oldest leaves first but it can’t be stopped. Lettuce that bolts will be bitter-flavored,…
Lettuce grows best in cool weather and sunny locations. Spring, mid-summer, and early fall are the times of year to plant lettuce, but you can grow lettuce in the summer even in warm regions if you choose heat-tolerant and bolt-resistant varieties. There are lettuce cultivars that are ready for picking in 45 days and others…
Lettuce is a cool-season crop that thrives in spring and fall, but when the temperature climbs or days lengthen, lettuce can suddenly bolt—sending up a flower stalk and turning bitter almost overnight. As someone who has grown lettuce year-round in the fluctuating microclimate of Sonoma Valley, I’ve learned firsthand how to delay bolting and stretch…
Lettuce is a rewarding crop for gardeners at every level—fast to grow, easy to harvest, and perfect for repeat sowing. But to get the most out of each planting, you need to match your care routine to the stage of growth and the season. After growing lettuce year-round for more than 30 years—in raised beds,…
Few things are more frustrating than planting seeds in early spring and seeing… nothing. No sprouts. No green. Just soil sitting there week after week. I’ve dealt with this many times in my own Sonoma Valley garden, especially in early spring when soil temperatures and moisture levels are still shifting. The good news is that…
Leggy seedlings are one of the most common early-season frustrations. You start seeds with care—and within days, they stretch into thin, pale stems that flop over. I’ve dealt with this many times over the years, especially when starting seeds indoors during cool, low-light periods. The good news: leggy seedlings are preventable—and often fixable if you…
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