Production of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in Ghana.

Production of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in Ghana.

Lettuce is a foreign vegetable which is now commonly grown in Ghana.

It is either eaten raw, cooked in palava Source, or as a salad.

Varieties of lettuce grown in Ghana

1. Cos or Romaine lettuce
2. Leaf lettuce (var. crispa)
3. Cabbage lettuce.

Weather requirement for its cultivation.

• Lettuce is a cool season crop.
• It grows well in a wide range of climatic and soil conditions.
• It performs better in temperatures of 15 – 22°C.
• A pH of 6.0-6.8 is preferable.
• It needs soils with good drainage and high organic content.
• Sandy loams are ideal.

How to cultivate lettuce

• Clear the land and raise beds.
• Add organic manure such as cow dung, poultry dung, goat dung, or decaying organic matter into the soil
• Lettuce is grown by the seed.
• It germinates within 4-5 days from sowing.
• After 4-6 weeks the young seedlings are transplanted or they are transplanted when they have 4 – 5 leaves.
• You can however sow your lettuce seeds directly and thinned out after they germinate.
• Planting is done 20- 30 cm between plants and 40 cm – 45 cm between rows.
• Lettuce may mature in a 6-12 weeks period depending on the variety.

How to take care of your seedlings after transplant.

• Weed regularly
• Watering regularly
• Mulch to retain moisture and suppress weed growth.
• Apply fertilizer when necessary.

Disease of lettuce

Bottom rot.  

• This is characterized by the ‘damping-off of seedlings,
• Older plants develop sunken brown spots on midribs and petioles of lower leaves which eventually fall.

Cultural control:

• Avoid deep planting.
• Water-logged soil.
• Burns debris.

Harvesting lettuce

• Harvest when heads mature and hearts are firm.
• It will bolt and produce flowers if kept too long.
• Harvesting during the early part of the day is preferable, particularly in hot weather.
• Yields of approximately 10-15 tones/may be obtained.

Storage and Marketing of lettuce

• Lettuce is stored for only a few days in a cool condition.
• You can also store it in your freezer.
• Lettuce ‘heads’ are marketed according to size and weight.
• It is sold locally or by export.

Importance of lettuce

• Lettuce is eaten raw as salad.
• Lettuce is cooked in palava sauce.
• It serves as roughage and prevents constipation.
• It also contains some nutrients (vitamins) needed by the body.

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