Lettuce on the windowsill, growing from seeds and roots, on and without soil

With the arrival of autumn cold weather, the issue of vitamin deficiency becomes increasingly acute. But how to replenish the reserves of useful substances when all the steps of growing greens, fruits and vegetables on the street have passed?

It’s extremely simple, you just need to start growing lettuce from seeds on the windowsill.

Content:

1. Winter beds: growing lettuce from seeds on the windowsill
2. Watercress - care features
3. How to grow lettuce from a root
4. Is it possible to grow Odessa curly lettuce on a windowsill?
5. How to grow lettuce from a store-bought pot
6. How to grow lettuce at home without soil

Winter beds: growing lettuce from seeds on the windowsill

Growing lettuce in an apartment is not as difficult as one might think. This is an unpretentious plant that requires much less attention than an indoor flower. It is recommended to start growing by choosing a variety.

The best option is leafy species, which germinate quickly and produce the first harvest just as quickly.

Moreover, having decided to growing herbs on a windowsill, it is recommended to pay special attention to the following points:

• It is worth choosing early species from leaf varieties. At the same time, you don’t have to be tied to specific species names, since almost every year breeders create new ones, the difference between which in this matter is insignificant. When choosing, just carefully study the brief information on the label.Ideal for growing in apartment conditions, greens, which are early ripening species, are distinguished by a high level of resistance to attacks by parasites and diseases;
• When selecting a container for planting seeds, you can use any pots, trays or even boxes. In the latter case, it is recommended to line the bottom of the boxes with polyethylene, which will prevent the substrate from spilling out. It is important not to forget to make small holes in the polyethylene so that moisture does not stagnate. Drainage for the outflow of excess water is necessary when choosing any container, since excess moisture leads to rotting of the seeds and loss of the crop.

The next step is to select the soil. The best option is to use a substrate purchased in a store.

It is rich enough in nutrients and you don’t have to additionally feed the greens.

After a drainage layer of pebbles or expanded clay has been laid on the bottom of the container, you can fill it with soil. In this case, the top layer should not completely cover the pot. It is recommended to leave at least five centimeters in reserve.

Purchased seeds can be planted immediately. It is enough to make shallow grooves, the width between which should not be less than 15 cm.

If the width is smaller, the adult plant will not produce such lush leaves, since the young bushes will be cramped. It is recommended to sprinkle the sown seeds with soil and gently press it down.

After this, the container must be covered with film, which will help conserve moisture and prevent the soil from drying out. This is especially important, since a crust of dry soil will significantly impede the germination of seedlings.

However, you should not cover the surface of the soil; there should be a distance of several centimeters between the substrate and the film.Otherwise, there is a danger that the sprouts will be banned.

After three to five days, when the first shoots appear, you need to increase the frequency of watering, but you should not allow waterlogging. Moisture should not stagnate; the optimal frequency of watering is several times a week.

Additionally, you can spray the leaves themselves, this has a beneficial effect on the plant. In addition, in winter you need to provide the salad with an additional source of light, otherwise you should not expect a lush harvest.

If the seeds have sprouted too thickly, it is worth breaking through them.

This can be done several times at intervals of two weeks: the first time immediately after the seeds have sprouted, the second time after seven days. When thinning, make sure that the average distance between seedlings is at least 10 cm. Excess plants can be transplanted into an adjacent container; they are well received.

When purchasing a substrate in a store, no fertilizer is needed, but if the soil is not rich enough in nutrients, you can use complex water-soluble fertilizers. If you follow simple care rules, the plant will certainly please its owners with a lush and healthy harvest.

Even more useful information on the topic of growing lettuce at home can be obtained by watching the video:

Watercress - care features

One of the most unpretentious species that provides the owners with a harvest already in the second week after germination. The only drawback is considered to be fragility, but this can be easily corrected by simultaneously sowing several containers at once with an interval of three to four days. For that, so that watercress greens up the windowsill throughout the winter It is recommended to pay attention to some care features.

Unlike other plants, it does not require special temperature conditions and grows well on a windowsill without additional insulation. It does not need an additional source of lighting, which is especially problematic for the cold season.

However, to ensure yourself a bountiful harvest, do not forget that:
The species requires regular, abundant watering and air humidification. For the latter, it is recommended to carry out systematic spraying and place a container of water next to the pot to evaporate it and subsequently humidify the air.

This is especially important in winter, when almost every window sill has radiators that significantly dry out the air. If the moisture percentage is low, the leaves will begin to wither and their quality will deteriorate.

Seed germination occurs at a temperature of +7 +15 C. You can ensure this temperature in winter by simply placing the container on a covered balcony or windowsill.

To prevent the soil from drying out, the pot should be covered with polyethylene. As with other species, it should not touch the surface of the substrate.

Let's watch a video about growing watercress on a windowsill:

The first shoots will not keep you waiting; after the greens reach ten centimeters, they can be cut and consumed. Rich in nutrients, greens will become a real treasure for the cold season.

How to grow lettuce from a root

Often, the root with which the salad is purchased is simply thrown into the trash, which can already be called a mistake. It can still serve, save you from having to go to the store again for new greens.Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be a professional gardener or experienced botanist to encourage leaf regrowth.

After the leaves are cut, the remaining root should be placed in a container of water. In this case, the cut site should not be submerged under water. You can prick it from the sides with toothpicks, which will ensure incomplete immersion. This is especially important, since without access to oxygen, a root completely immersed in water will simply rot and bring no result.

Place a plate or glass of water on the windowsill and wait a little. The first leaves will sprout on the second day, after which the root should be transplanted into a pot with soil.

You can use either a flower substrate enriched with beneficial micro- and macroelements, or ordinary garden soil. In the future, caring for such a seedling is no different from caring for a seedling - it is enough to ensure systematic watering and regular spraying with good lighting.

Greens grown in this way will help significantly save time and money. For at least a week, you can forget about the need to go to the store for fresh leaves.

Is it possible to grow Odessa curly lettuce on a windowsill?

The Odessa curlytail is not a very whimsical representative of its species; it can be grown at home. Although it grows best in the warm season, you can try growing it in winter. To do this, you need to prepare a container, water, soil, a spray bottle, polyethylene and seeds in advance.

Growing curly grass consists of several stages:

• Selection of container - you can use either a plastic tray or a pot of indoor flowers.In the latter case, if a flower previously grew in a pot, it should first be disinfected by washing it in warm water and laundry soap in order to protect the seeds from possible infection;
• A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the container, which is covered with soil into which the seeds are shallowly embedded. A soil cover of a few millimeters is sufficient. The soil should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle and the container covered with polyethylene;
• After the first strong shoots appear, which occurs seven days after planting, the film must be removed. At this time, it is worth paying special attention to soil moisture;
• The plant will be strong enough in a month. After this, you can replant into mature soil with additional fertilizing.

Growing Odessa curlytail will take longer than growing other species. But with due persistence, it is possible to grow this type of useful greenery on a windowsill.

How to grow lettuce from a store-bought pot

A purchased pot can be used more than once; to do this, it is enough not to cut off all the leaves first. It is recommended to leave the middle part, with tiny leaves, untouched so that later they begin to grow.

After cutting off the main part of the leaves, the plant needs to be transplanted from a store pot to a new one. The new container should be larger in size, filled with pre-purchased store-bought substrate.

You can also use ordinary garden soil, enriched with fertilizer if necessary. Standard fertilizers are suitable, which can be purchased at a reasonable price at any flower shop.

Once in a new substrate, store-bought salad will not keep you waiting for results.It is enough to be patient a little and soon, with enough moisture, it will begin to grow again. This will help provide yourself with an absolutely free and environmentally friendly portion of greens for lunch for some time.

How to grow lettuce at home without soil

Lettuce is inherently an unpretentious plant and does not require complex care. It can grow not only in the substrate, but also without it. As an alternative to soil, many gardeners use completely unpredictable things: wet sawdust (it is important that the wood does not contain impurities; sleepers will not work), rags and napkins.

To grow a plant without soil, it is enough to spread the seeds on cloth or shallowly embed them in sawdust, which should be watered abundantly in advance. After this, it is recommended to move the container to a dark place for a while.

The first shoots can be seen already on the fifth day after sowing. The alternative substrate should not be allowed to dry out; it should be constantly moistened during the entire time of growing greens. The harvest can be harvested already in the second or third week after sowing.

Greens germinate easily, respond well to spraying, love fresh air and abundant watering. At the same time, unlike indoor flowers, it practically does not react to drafts. Therefore, it can be grown on a closed balcony, protected from sub-zero temperatures. No matter how hardy the greens are, they will not survive frost.

Lettuce can also be planted in late autumn and early winter.

But it is important to consider that at this time, when daylight hours are constantly decreasing, you should not expect a bountiful harvest without an additional source of lighting. The leaves will stretch out and be weak.

If it is not possible to purchase a special lamp, you can sow greens towards the end of winter.At this time, when daylight hours increase, the lighting that plants receive on the windowsill is enough for full growth and development.

Growing lettuce from seeds at home is not a fantasy; even an inexperienced gardener can provide himself with fresh herbs from the windowsill.

An unpretentious plant does not need painstaking care, studying the complex features of fertilizing, just water it regularly and provide enough light and healthy leaves will enrich the diet even in winter