Your Favorite Lettuce

[peebee]

This year is a bad one for me, lettuce-wise; I sowed several packets of seeds all over the place right before our 2 rains and got very bad germination. I literally have only a few growing. All were commercial packets bought at Target and I'm wondering if they got damaged in transit like in a heat wave before I bought them. The only greens that are doing well are the arugula and they are robust anyways. I hate buying lettuce at the stores! There's always the danger of salmonella etc too.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by peebee

This year is a bad one for me, lettuce-wise; I sowed several packets of seeds all over the place right before our 2 rains and got very bad germination. I literally have only a few growing. All were commercial packets bought at Target and I'm wondering if they got damaged in transit like in a heat wave before I bought them. The only greens that are doing well are the arugula and they are robust anyways. I hate buying lettuce at the stores! There's always the danger of salmonella etc too.

Lettuce seed doesn't last long for me. If I want really good germination, then I just get new packs.

I found Botanical Interests has really good lettuce seeds; they sometimes have free shipping too. Theirs does last longer than 1 year.

I'm also impressed with Baker's seed lettuce; I recently bought Parris Island from them; I will update after I sow it. Their mix was great and probably 5 times the amount of seeds than a similar mix from Johnnyseeds.

[biscuitridge]

I keep my seeds in a chest freezer and they last for years,just don't use a frost free freezer,the defrost cycle shortens the storage life of the seeds.

[ginger2778]

I found out this year that my lettuce seeds germinated really well. The difference? Putting them in the house because it's cooler than outside, and putting them only pushed in on the "soil", then under light. I found out lettuce seeds like it cooler and need light to germinate well.

Ditto. Lettuce seed viability seems to drop off a bit after the first year. And when it’s chilly outside (conditions here in Jax now) I germinate indoors them move trays outside.

[Tormato]

For me, there's one main source for lettuce seed, Wild Garden Seed, with a listing of 149 "varieties" at last count.


Many of the "varieties" are genetic mixes.

[biscuitridge]

I agree!!

[bower]

I spent a few hours at the Wild Garden site the other night, just trolling for lettuce mmmm-mmmm. I love the way he talks about all the key features of lettuce: color: "loft" in a salad: and taste too.
Freckles and Merveille des 4 Saisons I've been growing for a couple of years now for those fast growing winter salads. They taste good to me but my mom complained they were not tasty enough. Last year I also grew Sherwood and Red Romaine for small heads. Sherwood was really outstanding for taste and for developing the crunchy midrib really quickly. Red Romaine is ... incredibly red, really pretty. I find that neither Freckles nor Md4S has a real midrib, and they don't have the 'loft' that keeps salad from falling flat in the bowl.... they need company.... more lettuces please! I have 'Tango' and 'Iceberg' from Nicky's swap to try next.

Saving lettuce seed is pretty easy, it's turning into a routine. I must say the Red Romaine was so pretty as a flowering plant, I would grow it out for ornamental value alone!

[Fred Hempel]

My recommendation for lettuce seed

1. Buy seed

2. Plant seed

Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200

[bower]

Lettuce is a great crop in my climate - a cash crop too. You need fresh seed to outcompete the weeds though, sowing it in a thick band. That is for organic growing anyway, weeds are a fact of life, fresh lettuce seed can beat em back though, with a little help.

Only once have I saved my own lettuce seed; I just like trying different kinds too much.
I agree - lettuce is ornamental - I plant it in containers that way all the time.
- Joyce

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

My recommendation for lettuce seed

1. Buy seed

2. Plant seed

Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200

Hahaha.

[peebee]

Bower, I think I will try the Red Romaine that you posted about. Several years ago I did buy some as seedlings and they were good. Any particular site you purchased from?
I also love Merveille de 4 saisons but none sprouted.
I will order some lettuce seeds from Bakers, never bought lettuce from them but other things. The seeds I sowed this year were purchased this year, the ones from Target, that's why I'm mad at the poor germination. Most were Burpee brand. I'm going to sow every seed left over, this weekend, come what may. Never thought I'd use 300 seeds of anything for my small garden but it's like I'm throwing them away as I probably won't see any sprout now. I'll start anew next year .

[Labradors2]

A week or so ago, I ordered a lettuce mix from Baker Creek and it sprouted in just 3 days! I'm growing it in a large pot over the winter.

I'm interested in Bower's comment about the red romaine being so pretty as a flowering plant. Got to try that in 2019 .


Linda

[peebee]

Linda, I went on Bakers site and couldn't find any mixes in lettuces. Then I searched for Lettuce Mix and they appeared under Salad Blends . Most other seed sites, they put all lettuces together on one page, that way you won't miss it. I buy most lettuces as mixes so if you hadn't specifically posted about the mix, I wouldn't have seen it at all. Thanks!