Lettuce is a high-turnover salad crop grown year-round under irrigation in Zimbabwe. It is popular in supermarkets, restaurants, and export to regional markets.
45
Days to Maturity
15–25 tonnes/ha
Typical Yield
High
Water Need
Low
Drought Tolerance
Optimal Soil Types
pH Range: 6 – 7
Well-drained, fertile loamy soils with high organic matter. Shallow roots require consistent moisture. Avoid compacted or clay-heavy soils.
Fertilizer: 2 Nutrich earthworm poop tea 12 Nutrich vermicompost 6 compound C 5 Nutrich Vermifoliar
Optimal Temp: 15–22°C
Rainfall: 0–800mm/year
Climate Zones
Frequent, light irrigation every 2–3 days. Drip or sprinkler at 20–25mm per week. Avoid waterlogging which causes basal rot.
23°C
clear sky
Bulawayo
32%
Humidity
24
km/h Wind
23–23°C
Min / Max Today
5-Day Forecast
Fri
23°
23°
Sat
34°
16°
Sun
37°
18°
Mon
40°
19°
Tue
38°
22°
Lettuce optimal climate: Temp: 15–22°C°C0
Planting Months
Harvesting Months
Planting Depth: 0.5 cm (surface sow) or transplanted seedlings
Spacing: 30cm × 25cm
Material: Seeds or seedlings (3 weeks)
Provinces
Natural Regions
Symptoms: Dense colonies in hearts, leaf distortion, virus transmission
Management: Dimethoate or imidacloprid spray; natural predators; remove infested plants
Symptoms: Irregular holes in leaves, slime trails
Management: Metaldehyde bait; remove debris; avoid overhead irrigation at night
Symptoms: Seedlings cut at soil level
Management: Cypermethrin soil spray; bait pellets
Symptoms: Grey fuzzy mould on leaves and base in humid conditions
Management: Iprodione fungicide; improve air circulation; avoid wetting leaves
Symptoms: Yellow patches on upper surface, grey mould below
Management: Metalaxyl + mancozeb; resistant varieties; avoid overhead irrigation
Symptoms: Enlarged leaf veins, mosaic, stunted heads
Management: Soil drainage; control soil fungus (Olpidium); resistant varieties
Governed Product Guidance
Crop-specific product selection, application rates, mixing, timing and treatment guidance for Lettuce are available only through ZEF's governed production-agronomy workflow after country readiness and product/regulatory approval.
Fresh market salads, supermarkets, food service, export to South Africa, hydroponic production
Export Potential:
Cultivation Guide
Step-by-step guide tailored to Lettuce in Zimbabwe
Related Crops
Crops suited to similar climate zones or soil types as Lettuce
Spinach
Spinacia oleracea
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Soursop
Annona muricata
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Guava
Psidium guajava
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