Non- toxic cleaning and choosing eco cleaning products are only some of the things that parents do to ensure the safety of their families. Others choose to grow their own produce naturally and chemical-free at home. One of the most common garden vegetables people grow is lettuce.  It is very nutritious and is the perfect ingredient for any sandwich or bowl of salad. Growing your own batch of natural, pesticide- and chemical fertilizer-free organic lettuce in your own yard is easier than you think. Here’s a simple guide on how to get started:

What is lettuce? Lettuce is a green leafy vegetable that is low in calories and supports pancreatic function.  There are many different kinds of lettuce.  The most commonly sold varieties include the following: iceberg, romaine, butterhead and mesculin mixes. Lettuce is usually grown in the cool seasons of spring and autumn, which are free from the extreme weather conditions present during summer and winter.

Where to plant your lettuce. Remember that lettuce needs several hours of sun per day to grow, but not too much; about 6 hours of sunlight is sufficient. If your plant is going to be exposed to the hot afternoon sun, make sure that you expose them to the shade as well. When planting the lettuce, choose a fertile, loose soil enriched with compost.

Starting the seeds. Purchase your organic seeds from your local gardening store. To start seeds indoors, begin 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Sow them on a sterile starting mix and make sure they get enough sunlight.  The soil should be kept cool, about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.   After the last frost date, they can be transplanted outside. To plant transplants, dig holes as deep as the rootball of the lettuce and twice as wide. Make sure the crown of the plant is at soil level and that you pack the soil around the rootball.  Space each plant about 9 to 12 inches apart.

Caring for your lettuce. Lettuce needs a lot of moisture because it is made mostly of water. Do a finger test and make sure that the top inch of the soil is always damp. Never let this top layer dry out, or you run the risk of your lettuce not growing.   You can obtain an organic fertilizer from your local gardening store to fertilize the soil depending on your needs, or you can use organic mulch to keep the moisture and nutrients of the soil. Mulching also helps prevent soil from splashing on your lettuce when you water, a process that may contaminate your produce.

Remember that lettuce grows quickly. Because lettuce grows very fast, make sure to plan your succession plantings about 7 days to 21 days apart, depending on how frequently you consume your produce.

Now you are finally ready to eat that organically-grown and naturally cultivated lettuce from your own backyard! Make sure that after doing any kind of gardening, you clean your hands properly with eco-friendly cleaning products like BabyGanics Fine and Handy Foaming Hand Soap. Baby safe natural cleaners and non toxic cleaners like BabyGanics can help you protect both your family and the environment from harmful toxins and chemical substances usually found in synthetic household cleaning solutions.

BabyGanics, a leading maker of baby safe natural cleaners and environmentally friendly cleaning products, promotes non toxic cleaning so that parents can keep their homes clean and safe for their kids, pets and the entire family. Non toxic cleaners and eco friendly cleaners or eco cleaning products are a great alternative for people who wish to live a sustainable, green lifestyle.