Your Favorite Lettuce

[peebee]

I LOVE growing lettuces and have several varieties growing right now. It was a challenge this year cuz there are 2 squirrels now who have discovered my garden and they kept digging up my beds.
My favs are Merveilles de Quatre Saisons (Marvel of the 4 Seasons), Red Oakleaf, Merlot, and basically any green romaine. I like to border party platters with leaves of the Merveilles as they are so beautiful. Always elicits oohs and ahhs.
Like Worth, I too encountered resistance from people who only knew iceberg. I told them to mix my colorful ones with iceberg, so they can still have their crunch but now also experience real taste. Now everyone begs me for lettuce, saying they can't eat iceberg anymore. The garden at my office is closely guarded by staff who stake out a lettuce and try to get to it first. At harvest time when we have loads of lettuces we have a lettuce wrap lunch where we all build our own wraps. It's a lot of fun!

[Longlake]

As stated by several others, Nevada is a great Batavian and always has a place in my garden. It is stays crisp with no bitterness or bolting until sometime in August...Highly recommend.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by Longlake

As stated by several others, Nevada is a great Batavian and always has a place in my garden. It is stays crisp with no bitterness or bolting until sometime in August...Highly recommend.

Wow not bitter and doesn't bolt until August?! When do you sow? Do you directly sow or do small transplants?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Wow not bitter and doesn't bolt until August?! When do you sow? Do you directly sow or do small transplants?

Your at the same latitude it should do the same for you.
Worth

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Your at the same latitude it should do the same for you.
Worth

That's exactly what I'm thinking! I'm changing around my garden this year and will be doing spring lettuce in the same bed away from the main garden, but summer garden space in-between tomatoes I'm hoping well be welcoming for summer/fall lettuce. Summer/fall lettuce is something I never have gotten figured out good enough--having lettuce when all the tomatoes, peppers, and cukes are coming in fast and furious.

[Longlake]

I do mostly transplants and stagger when they go into the garden. I've yet to be able to save seed from Nevada because it is sooo slow to bolt. As an FYI, it's also dependable when sowing in the heat of summer, when other varieties don't want to sprout. My garden's in zone 3 so ymmv.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by Longlake

I do mostly transplants and stagger when they go into the garden. I've yet to be able to save seed from Nevada because it is sooo slow to bolt. As an FYI, it's also dependable when sowing in the heat of summer, when other varieties don't want to sprout. My garden's in zone 3 so ymmv.

I'm probably a fair amount farther south than you then (I'm about 35 miles north of the WI/IL border), so likely warmer, probably more humid, but your days are likely longer, which I believe day length also plays a role in bolting.

No matter what I've heard plenty of good things about Nevada, and I will be trying it this year.

[Ed of Somis]

One thing that is important to me with lettuce is texture. I do not like real delicate lettuce that wilts when you look sideways at it. Conversely, tough lettuce is not for me either. I like "Speckled" or "Speckled Trout". It fits the bill of texture...and man, is it a beautiful thing to look at in the garden!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

One thing that is important to me with lettuce is texture. I do not like real delicate lettuce that wilts when you look sideways at it. Conversely, tough lettuce is not for me either. I like "Speckled" or "Speckled Trout". It fits the bill of texture...and man, is it a beautiful thing to look at in the garden!

Okay so you have a fish in the garden?

Worth

[Aubergine]

I like Forellenschluss ( Speckled Trout ) and Devils Ear ( Teufelsohren or Oreilles du diable )

[Ed of Somis]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Okay so you have a fish in the garden?

Worth

Since I don't fish like I used to....I just go to the garden.

[greenthumbomaha]

I used to buy Romaine but its been tasteless for the past few years and I switched to iceberg in the bag.

In between tomatoes sounds like a plan. I had about given up on lettuce, so glad I asked ! My prior lettuce attempts resulted in bitter taste, especially later in the season , and they got big and left to bolt. Nevada is mentioned several times for my climate.

Flipping the tread a little. I can't wait, literally, and just started packs of the Black Seeded Simpson and Arugula (too spicy for me though, just for giving) I had left over to have some green indoors during the winter.

Which lighting is best for indoor? Cool or warm T8, T5, blue or red LED?


- Lisa

[ddsack]

My favorite is Nevada, as well. Sierra is a red version of Nevada and is great also, though seeds are a bit harder to find. I also grow romaine and Summertime. I like lettuces with a bit of texture, since so many leaf lettuces go limp when you put a bit of dressing on them, but I'm always trying new leaf lettuces as well. To grow good sweet lettuce, it needs to grow fast, so it needs lot of water and good fertility. Plan on watering it more than anything else in your garden.

Nevada:


Sierra (young crowded plants) :



Young Summertime plants :



I start my lettuce early in flats and plant out early. It takes transplanting amazingly well, it will go limp for a day or two and look terrible, but will pop back up soon. I hardly ever lose a seedling, despite a lot of root disturbance.

[KarenO]

your lettuces look beautiful Dee. If you guys have not tried growing and transplanting seedlings into the garden give it a try. Works great and I agree with Dee they will look pretty sorry right after transplant. keep them moist and they will take off growing in a day or two.
KO

[Fred Hempel]

I like red oak leaf, but it's not the easiest or fastest to grow.