Move leaf lettuce from nursery cells into its final pot Bed & Balcony · Care observation sheet · 2026-10-25 Start with healthy leaf-lettuce seedlings that have already adjusted to outdoor light and wind. This page covers the physical move and establishment, while the hardening guide covers the earlier transition. It does not turn a crowded multi-plant nursery cell into a mature plant at every stem. OBSERVATIONS Cultivar and healthy, hardened starting plants: ____________________________________________________________ Baby-leaf or full-size harvest goal: ____________________________________________________________ Pot width, marked centers and actual plant count: ____________________________________________________________ Root-ball condition and former planting depth: ____________________________________________________________ Watering-in, drainage and transplant date: ____________________________________________________________ Next check: root-ball moisture, wilt and new growth: ____________________________________________________________ CHECKS If the goal is baby-leaf harvest rather than large individual plants: Mark a layout that matches that goal and the cultivar. UMN lists 5-inch spacing for baby-leaf leaf lettuce, compared with 10–12 inches for full-size plants. Check the actual pot width; a container's volume alone does not tell you how many centers fit. If the goal is full-size plants but the pot cannot fit their spacing: Use fewer transplants, choose a larger surface area, or deliberately change to baby-leaf harvest. Do not place every purchased cell in the pot and rely on fertilizer to compensate for missing room. If seedlings are still unacclimated, badly wilted or have damaged bases: Pause the transplant. Complete hardening for unacclimated plants and assess damaged ones separately. Choose a cool, calm planting period; local heat and drying wind matter more than a source's regional planting month. ACTION CHECKLIST [ ] 1. Prepare a layout and moist planting spaces Fill a draining container with suitable potting mix, leaving watering room below the rim. Mark the chosen plant centers before opening the cell pack. Moisten dry root balls before handling, and make each planting space large enough for the roots without compressing them. [ ] 2. Release and plant one root ball at a time Gently squeeze the bottom of the plastic cell and support the released root ball. Avoid lifting by the stem. Set it at its previous growing depth, cover the roots and firm the surrounding mix gently. Keep the center growing leaves clear rather than copying tomato stem burial. [ ] 3. Water in, then keep the root zone accessible Water around the planted root balls and let excess drain. Label the cultivar, transplant date and intended harvest stage. Leave the surface visible for moisture checks; do not bury tiny plants under a deep mulch layer or take a substantial harvest during the move. NEXT CHECK At the next daily care check, feel the old cell root ball as well as the surrounding mix and inspect for exposed roots or continuing wilt. Water when needed, keeping the shallow root zone evenly moist. If the pot is already wet, check drainage and exposure before adding more. Begin picking only after healthy growth has resumed. REFERENCE University of Minnesota Extension: Growing lettuce, endive and radicchio in home gardens https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/growing-lettuce-endive-and-radicchio Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: What is the proper way to plant annual flower and vegetable plants? https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/faq/what-proper-way-plant-annual-flower-and-vegetable-plants University of Illinois Extension: Growing Vegetables in Containers https://extension.illinois.edu/container-gardens/growing-vegetables-containers University of Maryland Extension: Growing Vegetables in Containers and Salad Tables https://www.extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-vegetables-containers-and-salad-tables Your notes stay in this file. Review local conditions before acting.