Basket is one of the most widely grown and popular varieties of head lettuce. This salad is easily recognizable because it has green leaves on the younger parts and inside of the plant and patches of coppery red on the outside.
The head of basket lettuce is of excellent size and very voluminous due to the large size of the leaves, which are sufficiently wavy and sometimes bubbled. In salads, it is fresh and crisp, although not as crunchy as iceberg, with quite a strong flavor compared to other lettuces without personality, especially cut lettuces.
It is not difficult to grow this vegetable in the garden or in pots, basically the indications are those that are valid for all coleslaws, below we will see them shortly.
Contents
Adapted climate and terrain
Soil and fertilization . Basket lettuce is very adaptable to the type of soil, it has no special needs except for a plot where excess water does not cause stagnation. If desired, it can be fertilized with a light addition of organic matter and nutrients. In the organic garden, we usually use fertilizers or mature manure.
Climate . Like many other salads, lettuce is afraid of excessive heat, also because its head breathes easily and therefore suffers from dryness. A temperature of 18/21 degrees is required for the birth of seeds. Sun exposure is positive, but not when the summer sun can burn the leaf, in these cases it is better to use shade nets. Compared to cut lettuce, the basket is more susceptible to frost, which makes it less suitable for the winter garden.
How to plant a basket
Planting period. Planting lettuce in a basket can be done for much of the year, especially if you have a tunnel where the lettuce can be grown under cover. From January, you can start in the seedbed and then transplant under tunnel. February and March, on the other hand, are good months to always sow in the seedbed and then transplant into the field, while from March to mid-May the seed can be placed directly in the garden soil.
How to sow. Lettuce seeds should be placed at a depth of about a centimeter, sowing is usually chosen for postarelle. Two or three seeds are placed on each pole, after germination the most promising seedling is selected.
distances. Due to the size of the salad head, it is advisable to plant the basket at a distance of about 40 cm between the plants.