Today’s Garden Ideas

There are 2 basic types of Loose-Leaf Lettuce: green and red. All Loose-Leaf Lettuces are annuals that can be grown in all parts of the country except the hottest zones. Growing lettuce can be done in many climates. Most lettuce varieties like cool weather but will grow in the hot months with regularly watering and lots of shade. Loose-Leaf Lettuce matures in about 45 days but young leaves can be picked off the plant at any time.

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Purchasing & Planting

When purchasing lettuce for planting buy lettuce seeds. Be sure

to get many different varieties. Do not purchase lettuce plants with thick stems. Do not buy rootbound lettuce plants as they will probably be bitter. Lettuce seeds will not sprout in temperatures about 80 degrees. Keep your lettuce seeds in the refrigerator for about 1 week to help germination. Before planting add 2 inches of compost. Create a shallow furrow on month before the last frost date. Plant lettuce seeds in this furrow abut 1 inch apart. Barely cover the seeds with the soil and gently firm down. When the seedlings start to appear mulch with compost. This the lettuce plants when the first leaves appear. Allow about 12-15 inches between lettuce plants. When a firm heart forms on the lettuce plant the the plant off with a knife.

Growing Tips

Loose-Leaf Lettuce plants prefer full sun to partial shade in cooler climates and more shade in hot areas. Be sure the soil is well-drained and humus rich. Loose-Leaf Lettuce plants prefer slightly alkaline soil. To test a lettuce plant for bitterness tear a leaf. It the lettuce leaf oozes a milky liquid discard the plant. Slugs can eat seedlings and chew holes in mature lettuce plants. Spread diatomaceous earth around new seedlings to prevent slugs.

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Seasonal Care

For seasonal lettuce care begin in spring. Plant seeds after the last frost and mulch well. In summer pick the outer lettuce leaves as needed. Only harvest the whole plant if the center of the lettuce show signs of hardening. In fall, before the first frost, harvest the entire plant.

The main problem with lettuce is bolting. Bolting occurs when the heart firms and grows a flower stalk. The lettuce leaves will then become bitter and tough. Prevent bolting by shading plants. Do not grow lettuce near yard lights that stay on all night and be sure to keep the soil moist.

Loose-Leaf lettuce does very well in container gardens because you can control the sun exposure, moisture and air circulation. Grow many varieties of lettuce in different colors and textures. Include some colorful edible flowers like Johnny-jump-ups and Nasturtiums for a brilliant container garden.

Varieties of Lettuce

Green leaf lettuce consists of some of the following varieties: Black-seeded Simpson, Green Ice, Oak Leaf, Green Wave, Salad Bowl, and Grand Rapids. Black-seeded Simpson lettuce is crisp and sweet and matures in 45 days. Green Ice lettuce is very sweet with dark green ruffles leaves. Green Ice lettuce is slow to bolt and is ready to harvest in 45 days. Oak Leaf lettuce has notched leaves and is very heat tolerant. Oak Leaf lettuce matures in 50 days. Green Wave lettuce has frilled leaves and is both disease and heat resistant. This lettuce will be ready for picking in about 45 days. Salad Bowl lettuce has smooth edged
leaves, produces a larger yield, and will stay fresh long than most varieties. Salad Bowl lettuce ripens in 45 days. Grand Rapids lettuce is light green with curly leaves and matures in 43 days.

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Red leaf lettuce varieties consist of Red Salad Bowl, Red Sails, Brunia, Lollo Rosso, Red Oak Leaf, and Red Grenoble. Red Salad Bowl lettuce is a deep red with curled leaves. This lettuce is very heat tolerant and matures in 50 days. Red Sails lettuce is ruffled with bronze leaves. Red Sails lettuce in slow to bolt and quite heat tolerant. Red Sails lettuce is ready to harvest in 45 days. Brunia lettuce has oak shaped leaves and is slow to bolt in hot weather. This lettuce plant matures in 50 days. Lollo Rosso lettuce is a deep red with crinkly leaves and ripens in 48 days. Red Oak Leaf lettuce has leaves that grow in a variety of shades of red. This lettuce is slow to bolt and matures in 50 days. Red Grenoble lettuce has a magenta color and is cold hardy. Red Grenoble lettuce matures in 48 days.

Quick Facts

Loose-Leaf lettuce spreads to about 16 inches wide and 12 inches tall. Growing Lettuce can be grown in all zones in full sun to partial shade and rich well-drained soil. Lettuce is an easy to grow annual that will yield about ten leaves per plant. Lettuce is best harvested spring through fall.

Tags: Black-seeded simpson, brunia, grand rapids, green ice, green wave, Lettuce, lollo rosso, Loose-Leaf Lettuce, oak leaf, red grenoble, red oak leaf, red sails, red salad bowl, salad bowl