Lettuce: What Kind Should I Plant
It’s all about lettuce today and how to plant it, grow it, and harvest it! Would you love to grow your own salad fixings? I hope this post helps you choose the seeds that work for you.
Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. I wanted to show you the different lettuce seeds that I have personally grown. My favorite place for seeds: SeedsNow
I understand that some people can’t have really dark green lettuce or spinach for medical reasons. Maybe one of the lighter-colored ones will be acceptable. Here’s the deal, we need to grow as much of our own food as we possibly can.
It’s crazy how many types of foods have been recalled, like beef, chicken, eggs, spinach, and lettuce due to Salmonella or E-coli. Who would have guessed that we would have to worry about
Have we been taking for granted our food source or the safety of how our food is grown? Are you as frustrated as I am? So, therefore let’s plant the seeds or the plants that work in our community. It’s called being self-reliant, and we can do this, I promise.
Soil Amendments
Here are some suggestions of amendments you may want to add to your soil when needed. If you are lucky enough to have rich dark loamy soil you may be good to go with what you have. My soil needs all of these.
Unco Industries Wiggle Worm Soil Builder Earthworm Castings Organic Fertilizer, 15-Pound
Miracle-Gro Nature’s Care Organic Bone Meal, 3 lb.
Espoma VM8 8-Quart Organic Vermiculite
What does the pH level mean?
Are you wondering what the term pH level is when gardening? Each plant prefers a different level of acidity to grow the very best harvest. The level of acidity varies between each plant.
Therefore, you can adjust the pH of your soil by adding lime or sulfur to bring it up or down depending on what your soil needs. You can have your soil tested, possibly by your state extension service, or try and do it yourself with a soil tester. pH Tester
Most lettuce variety requires a 6.5 to 7.5 pH level.
What Are Heirloom Seeds?
This is how I remember Heirloom seeds. They are old well-established seeds as in Pioneer, they have been around a very long time. They are organic and not genetically modified. You can save seeds from all of these varieties. We will talk about saving seeds another day.
Iceberg Lettuce
This is the typical lettuce we grew up on, right? Iceberg is great for salads and lettuce wraps filled with vegetables and that divine sauce the restaurants put on them.
It has a very mild flavor. Iceberg seeds are 100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO seeds. This variety is a one-time harvest.
Days to Maturity (ready to harvest): 60-70 days
Germinates: 7-14 days
These seeds can be planted just about anywhere, in the ground, in pots, and in raised garden beds. Sow them thinly in the soil in rows 1 foot apart and the plants 18 inches apart. They prefer the temperature to be 50-60 degrees.
This variety prefers a pH level no lower than 6.5. They do not like acidic soil. They like well-rotted manure and soil that is well-fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer (10-8-4). Plant in early Spring or late Fall for the best harvest.
Salad Bowl Lettuce
This one has extremely flavorful leaves and continues to grow as the outer leaves are picked, the inner ones keep growing. An excellent choice for salads.
Salad Bowl lettuce seeds are 100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO seeds.
Days to Maturity (ready to harvest): 45 days
Germinates: 7-14 days
These seeds can be planted just about anywhere, in the ground, in pots, and in raised garden beds. Sow them .25 inches deep in the soil in rows 1 foot apart and the plants 18 inches apart. They prefer the temperature to be 40-80 degrees. This variety prefers a pH level no lower than 6.5.
They do not like acidic soil. They like well-rotted manure and soil that is well-fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer (10-8-4). Plant in early Spring or late Fall for the best harvest. You can actually sow several varieties together to make a well-rounded mixed salad.
All Year Round Lettuce
This lettuce is just like it says, all year-round lettuce. Here’s the deal, it will freeze, so you must protect the leaves from frost. You can cover them with a cold frame, floating frames, or a cloche to help protect them from freezing. These seeds are 100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO seeds.
Days to Maturity (ready to harvest): 65 days
Germination: 7-14 days
These seeds can be planted just about anywhere, in the ground, in pots, and in raised garden beds. Sow them thinly in the soil in rows 1 foot apart and plants 18 inches apart. They prefer the temperature to be 40-80 degrees.
This variety prefers a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5. They do not like acidic soil. They like well-rotted manure and soil that is well-fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer (10-8-4). Plant in early Spring or late Fall for the best harvest.
Butterhead Lettuce
This one is popular because it grows a compact butterhead-type lettuce. This one is awesome because it grows higher off the ground, so the leaves do not rot on the bottom.
It can tolerate the cold better than other varieties. These seeds are 100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO seeds.
Days to Maturity (ready to harvest): 55 days
Germination: 7-14 days
These seeds can be planted just about anywhere, in the ground, in pots, and in raised garden beds. Sow them thinly in the soil in rows 1 foot apart and plants 18 inches apart. They prefer the temperature to be 40-80 degrees. This variety prefers a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5.
They do not like acidic soil. They like well-rotted manure and soil that is well-fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer (10-8-4). Plant in early Spring or late Fall for the best harvest.
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine is typically my favorite lettuce because I love the flavor. They are large full-bodied heads with leaves that are mild and sweet. These grow about 10 inches tall. They are the most nutritious of all lettuces.
These seeds are 100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO seeds.
Days to Maturity (ready to harvest): 80 days
Germination: 7-14 days
These seeds can be planted just about anywhere, in the ground, in pots, and in raised garden beds. Sow them thinly in the soil in rows 1 foot apart and plants 18 inches apart. They prefer the temperature to be 40-80 degrees. This variety prefers a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5.
They do not like acidic soil. They like well-rotted manure and soil that is well-fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer (10-8-4). Plant in early Spring or late Fall for the best harvest.
Green Ice Lettuce
Popular chefs all around the world love this flavorful crinkled lettuce. It’s very popular and easy to grow. It does not require a lot of space to grow this variety.
You will see fruits placed on these leaves at restaurants because they are crinkled and very attractive. These seeds are 100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO seeds.
Days to Maturity (ready to harvest): 65 days
Germination: 7-14 days
These seeds can be planted just about anywhere, in the ground, pots, and raised garden beds. Sow them thinly in the soil in rows 1 foot apart and plants 18 inches apart. They prefer the temperature to be 40-80 degrees. This variety prefers a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5.
They do not like acidic soil. They like well-rotted manure and soil that is well-fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer (10-8-4). Plant in early Spring or late Fall for the best harvest.
Red Bowl Lettuce
This variety has extremely flavorful red leaves. It continues to grow as the outer leaves are picked, the inner leaves keep growing. It’s easy to grow and excellent for salads. These seeds are 100% Heirloom/Non-Hybrid/Non-GMO seeds.
Days to Maturity (ready to harvest): 45 days
Germination: 7-14 days
These seeds can be planted just about anywhere, in the ground, pots, and raised garden beds. Sow them thinly in the soil in rows 1 foot apart and plants 18 inches apart. They prefer the temperature to be 40-80 degrees.
This variety prefers a pH level of 6.5 to 7.5. They do not like acidic soil. They like well-rotted manure and soil that is well-fertilized with high nitrogen fertilizer (10-8-4). Plant in early Spring or late Fall for the best harvest. Have you started a fall crop?
Final Word
Are you ready to plant some lettuce? I can’t wait to try and grow lettuce year-round. It may be hard to do, but I’m going to do it, one way or another? I’ll keep you posted, my friends. Thanks for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world, Linda
Vegetables To Plant In April by Linda
Where I buy my seeds: SeedsNow
Linda ~ Are any of the leaf lettuce varieties slow to bolt? I worry that growing my own lettuce, while satisfying to me, might go to seed before I would be able to use it up. Also, with leaf lettuce, is it better to harvest the outer (older) leaves and have the plant continue to produce or is it better to harvest the plant and will the root continue to put up new leaves? Most things I am familiar with but growing up we always planted head lettuce (iceberg I suppose).
Hi Leanne, I would read the post again. There are two that only grow one head, Romaine and Iceberg. The others you can pick the outer leaves and let the inside continue to grow. I want you to look at the maturity days because that will help you space the different seeds so they do not bolt. Of course, if they do bolt, you can save the seeds when you see them but I would put only a few seeds in the containers you have purchased. It’s going to be so fun to grow your salad!! Linda
Throughout the winter months in So AZ I have had fresh salads with enough leaves to share with my neighbor of lettuce, chard, spinach, and red Russian Kale. It has been so delightful to pick a couple of times a week from my elevated waist high garden boxes on the patio. Delicious salads for round out chicken, turkey, or beef! I may get another planting in before it gets too hot here.
Hi Carol, my gardens are 18 inches high. I would LOVE waist-high garden boxes!!! I love hearing you are picking fresh vegetables throughout the winter. Love it! Linda