How to grow lettuce on the balcony
In urban life where every inch of land is precious, growing lettuce on balcony has become a new trend in urban agriculture. This green leafy vegetable not only has a short growth cycle, but also contains rich dietary fiber. With simple maintenance, it can achieve freedom of organic vegetables. This article will teach you hands-on how to create your own balcony vegetable garden through a practical guide. The key elements in the early preparation of the quartet of balcony lettuce planting should be a wide-mouth container with a diameter of more than 30cm, and 3-5 drainage holes must be provided at the bottom. It is recommended to use a mixed substrate of coconut bran + worm manure (ratio 3:1), which has a 40% higher water retention and air permeability than ordinary garden soil. The seeds are selected from balcony-specific varieties such as Rosa green and cream lettuce, and the germination rate can reach more than 90%. Scientific sowing is carried out in three steps, and the substrate is filled to retain a 2 cm water tank space, and shallow ditches are opened with a row spacing of 15cm. Seeds are mixed with fine sand 1:3 and then sown, with a soil thickness of no more than 0.5 cm. Innovative germination techniques: Cover the flowerpot with plastic wrap after sowing, and maintain a constant temperature of 25℃ to sprout 3 days earlier. The intelligent maintenance plan implements the "Golden 3-5 Rule" during the seedling period: 3 hours of morning light exposure +5 hours of scattered light every day. Water is supplied by dipping basin method to keep the substrate humidity at 60%-70%. Thinning is carried out in two times: the plant spacing is 8cm in the 3-leaf period, and the spacing is 15cm in the 5-leaf period. Apply organic fish protein fertilizer diluted 500 times every week. Precise harvesting timing and observation When the leaf spread reaches 20cm, the "leaf-breaking harvesting method" is used to pick from the outer layer. The whole plant harvesting needs to be completed before bolting, and secondary growth can be achieved by retaining 1 cm of rhizome. Planting with rosemary can naturally repel insects and increase yield by 30%.
Through systematic planting management, balcony lettuce can be harvested in 4-6 cycles throughout the year. Mastering the balance of the four elements of "light, warm water and fertilizer", even novice growers can harvest crisp, tender and plump organic vegetables. It is recommended to establish a planting log to record growth data and optimize cultivation plans to make urban farming more technologically interesting.