How much sun does lettuce need is what we would like to know. Do you know if you should give your lettuce little or extra sunlight? We will find out soon.
Lettuce is an excellent veggie that is loved by many and used in most homes when it comes to cooking. You can incorporate lettuce in almost every dish including sandwiches, soups, and so on. No wonder this veggie is loved by many and it’s only logical for anyone to want to have this tasty veggie in their garden.
But for you to enjoy the best production of lettuce, you need to provide some growing conditions and one important growing condition is sunlight. You need to know the ideal sunlight requirement for lettuce; if it needs enough sunlight or little sunlight.
How much sun does lettuce need will be answered in this post. So, let’s delve into this.
How Much Sun Does Lettuce Need? Lettuce Sun Requirements
The fact is that lettuce doesn’t need too much sun exposure. But the plant also needs some time under sunlight to flourish. Therefore, it is crucial you know the right sun requirement for lettuce. If not, you may end up having little or nothing to harvest.
How much sun does lettuce need is one important question that should be on your mind. When you know this, you are a step ahead of averting any problem that may come with improper sun exposure to your lettuce plant.
However, when it comes to determining the ideal duration to provide sun to lettuce plants, you need to know the type of lettuce variety you are growing.
There are different lettuce varieties and some of them include Romaine lettuce, Butterhead lettuce, Crisphead lettuce, and leaf.
Generally, lettuce is fine with around 6 hours of sun exposure. However, some varieties can take more duration that is around 10 to 12 hours of sun exposure. But if it’s not possible to supply your lettuce with as much as 10 to 12 hours of sun duration, then 6 hours of sun exposure is generally fine.
Also, you don’t have to follow any specific time to provide lettuce with sun. The sun exposure can be in the morning or even in the afternoon.
Read more about How Long Does It Take For Zucchini To Grow?
Is Too Much Sunshine Exposure Bad For Lettuce?
As we mentioned earlier, lettuce does not need excess sun direct sun exposure. The truth is that no variety of lettuce likes or thrives well under hot weather.
If lettuce is left under hot weather for a long time, the plant begins to lose more water. Bolting occurs which means you get limited or no fresh lettuce leaves and the plant begins to end its growing process.
Then this usually results in lettuce plant that seeds and flowers really fast than it should. Hence, the result is bitter-tasting lettuce.
How Can Lettuce Be Shielded From Excess Sun Exposure?
The goal of planting lettuce by most growers is to get that big leafy leaves that are used for most cooking applications. Nobody wants to end up with bitter-tasting lettuce that is a result of excess sun exposure.
So, how do we shield our lettuce plant from excess sun exposure? Let’s look into this;
1. Select The Right Variety Such As Hardy Lettuce Varieties
There are some lettuce varieties that can tolerate more heat. So, you can go for this type of lettuce variety especially if you live in a hot region.
Examples of such heat tolerating lettuce varieties include Summer Bibb Blend, Green Salad Bowl, and Bibb Buttercrunch.
2. Use Shade Covers To Protect Lettuce
Shielding lettuce leaves from direct sunshine should is another way to protect the plant from excess sun exposure. Once the temperature is high (around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit), your lettuce plant will be prone to bolting.
Using shade covers can act as a barrier between your lettuce plant and the excess sun exposure.
3. Early Season Planting – How Much Sun Does Lettuce Need?
You can plant lettuce in the early season and you don’t need to wait for sunlight to begin planting. Lettuce can begin to sprout with a temperature that is as low as 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
Then once the weather temperature begins to fall around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, your lettuce should almost be ready to be harvested.
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4. Use Natural Shade
Natural shades can be used to shield your lettuce plant from too much sunshine. Natural shades such as trees or other tall-growing plants are easy to be used to shield lettuce from direct excess sun exposure.
You can even aim to plant your lettuce close to these trees or taller plants in a way that partially shades lettuce.
Just set your lettuce plant in relation to the direction of light all through the day. For instance, you can set your lettuce plant by shading them away from hot afternoon sun rays. Then lettuce plant should be set to receive adequate sun rays in the morning.
Can Lettuce Grow Under Partial Shade?
It is possible for lettuce to grow under partial shade and partial shade can even provide protection from heat. However, adequate light is required for the plant to germinate appropriately.
Therefore, if you still want to grow lettuce under partial shade, just make sure you grow the seeds under adequate light so they can germinate.
So, once the germination stage has elapsed and the seeds have successfully sprouted, then you can transplant them to partial shade.
Conclusion On How Much Sun Does Lettuce Need
Lettuce light requirement is an important factor to consider when growing this tasty vegetable. Provide lettuce with the right duration of sun exposure so they can grow and produce well.
How much sun does lettuce need has been answered in this post and we hope this can help you plan how to provide lettuce with the ideal sun exposure.
FAQ’s
Does lettuce need full sun?
Yes, lettuce does need full sun as they can benefit from it. However, you should provide full sun only for a specific period which is about 6 hours. Excess sunshine can harm the plant especially when the weather is very hot.
Does lettuce grow well in the shade?
Yes, it is possible for lettuce to grow under shade. But when you want to begin the process of growing lettuce from seeds, the seeds will require bright light to germinate, so shade won’t benefit seed germination.
Can lettuce grow in partial shade?
Yes, lettuce can be grown under partial shade and partial shade can offer protection from extreme heat. However, when it comes to seed germination for lettuce, it will need direct sun to sprout.
Eunice is an enthusiastic gardener with a passion for growing beautiful flowers. She loves nothing more than spending time in her garden, tending to her plants and enjoying the outdoors. Eunice has been gardening for over 15 years and has developed a unique style of landscaping that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. She is especially fond of growing roses and enjoys experimenting with different varieties and colors. Eunice takes great pride in her garden and often shares the fruits of her labor with friends and family. In her spare time, she enjoys reading gardening magazines and attending local horticulture events. Eunice is passionate about her hobby and is always eager to share her knowledge and experience with others.
