Varieties

DM: Downy Mildew resistant; LMV: Lettuce Mosaic Virus resistatn; PM: Powdery Mildew resistant;  TB:Tipburn resistant

Spacing and Seeding

Generally lettuce, endive and escarole have the same spacing, seeding and fertility requirements.

Final spacing on crisphead lettuce, endive, and escarole should be 12” to 18” between plants (67 to 100 plants per 100 feet of row) and 12” to 24” between rows. Other types of lettuce can be 10” to 16” apart (75 to 120 plants per 100 feet of row) in 10” to 18” rows. Spacings should allow good air movement around the plants to minimize grey mold (Botrytis), bottom rot (Rhizoctonia), and drop (Sclerotinia). Many growers raise lettuce, endive and escarole on 4’-wide, raised, 4”-high beds with three to four rows per bed. This enhances air movement and drier soil conditions for disease control. Growers are also urged to rotate lettuce wherever possible to reduce problems with drop and corky root rot, which can be common when double cropping in the same field. For direct seeding, 10 to 18 oz of seed are needed per acrre (1/16 to 1/8 oz per 100 feet of row). 

Lime

Apply lime according to soil test results to maintain soil pH at 6.5 to 6.8. Low soil calcium levels may affect the incidence of tip burn.

Fertilizer

Over-application of nitrogen on fertile soil can result in very rapid growth and tip burn. If the fertilizer cannot be banded at planting, add the band fertilizer amount to the preplant broadcast application.

If using transplants, use of a liquid starter fertilizer at planting time is beneficial, especially with cool soil conditions. Use a high phosphorus starter fertilizer mixed at a rate of 2 lb/50 gal water. Apply 8 fluid ounces (1 cup) per transplant.

Less nitrogen fertilizer will be needed if manure or legume sod was plowed down (see nitrogen credits, Page 6).