Field salad
Field lettuce (lat. Valerianella locusta) is a member of the Valerianella family of the Valerianaceae family. A relatively new spicy and aromatic crop.
Other names: valerianella oleracea, valerianella spicata, rapunzel. Natural range – Asia, Europe, North Africa. Today it is widely cultivated throughout the globe.
Characteristics of culture
Field lettuce is an annual herbaceous plant up to 40 cm high with an angular-furrowed or rounded, branching stem. The lower leaves are obtuse, spatulate; medium – oblong-lanceolate; the upper ones are linear. The flowers are small, white in color, collected in dense semi-umbrella inflorescences. The fruits are three-locular (two nests are sterile), round or ovoid. Field lettuce blooms in late April – early May, the fruits ripen in late May – early June.
Subtleties of cultivation
Field lettuce is propagated by seeds. Seeds are sown immediately in open ground, but cultivation by seedlings is not prohibited. The crop can be sown at different times, since it has a short growing season. In central Russia, field lettuce is recommended to be sown in early spring, since the plants react negatively to elevated temperatures. You can sow the crop in the fall under cover in the form of straw or humus.
Field lettuce is an unpretentious plant, but to obtain abundant green mass, the crop should be grown on fertile, loose, neutral or slightly acidic soils. The best predecessors are herbs, potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, onions, carrots and other root vegetables. Plants respond positively to fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers. When digging, add compost or humus in the amount of 1-2 kg per square meter, superphosphate – 15-20 g, wood ash – 20-30 g. The depth of seeding is 1-2 cm. The distance between plants should be about 10-15 cm, between rows – 35-45 cm.
Care
Field lettuce is moisture-loving and requires regular and abundant watering. During prolonged drought, water volumes are increased by 2-3 times. Over-moistening and over-drying should not be allowed. Fertilizers are applied only for digging; this procedure is not required during the growing season. The introduction of large doses of fresh organic matter and nitrogen fertilizers, as a rule, leads to the accumulation of nitrates by plants, making them unsuitable for food.
Popular varieties The most popular among Russian gardeners are the following varieties: Kolosok, Large-seeded, Espromt, Lozhkolistny, Etampsky, Zimniy, Dutch broadleaf, Sound sleep, Dark green.
Application
Field lettuce is used in cooking. Green parts of plants are used in the preparation of vegetable salads, soups, main courses and sauces. Field lettuce harmonizes especially well when combined with apples, beets, nuts and chicory. Doctors say that field lettuce is very healthy. It should be consumed by people of all ages and professions, because it strengthens the immune system and saturates the body with vitamins and other beneficial substances.
