Lettuce Handbook

Tip Burn

Tipburn is a browning of the edges or tips of leaves.  It is a physiological response to a lack of calcium.  Adding calcium to the solution will not alleviate the problem.  The lack of calcium is actually a result of the leaves growing at a faster rate than the rate of calcium translocation to these growing points.  To increase the translocation of calcium, the rate of transpiration, or the movement of water from the roots through the plant and out of the leaves, is increased.  Increasing the rate of transpiration can be accomplished by increasing air movement over the surface of the leaves and the entire growing area.  A turbulator fan increases air movement, thus increasing the rate of transpiration.