Quality seeds for kitchen, cottage and native gardeners
Vegetable Seeds Catalogue
Lettuce
Sds/g: 700-1000 Feed Requirements: Moderate Usual Seed Life:4-6 years
Cultural Notes:
- An essential to grow in the garden or containers as the supermarket greens never taste as good freshly picked. Packaged supermarket salad greens may be treated with a chlorine-containing compound and/or an antioxidant or preservative during washing or before packaging.
- Lettuce may be harvested 12 months of the year in Tasmania, ensure that you grow the correct varieties to see you through winter and into early spring or grow in a greenhouse or cold frame.
- The four main types of lettuce eaten in Australia are crisphead (tight heads), butterhead (looser heads), cos/romaine and leaf. Most lettuce varieties prefer cool weather to grow (16-18ºC) and this is especially true of the heading types, so it is best to sow them up to the end of October. Cos and leaf varieties grow better through the heat of summer.
- Lettuce requires large amounts of water as they have shallow root systems. Never let them go thirsty otherwise you will end up with bitter a bitter lettuce and they will tend to go to seed earlier. Over-mature lettuce (starting to go to seed) also tastes bitter. Seeds germinate best at 18-20ºC and even at temperatures as low as 5ºC, but germinate poorly above 24ºC (the seed can go dormant in high temperatures). Sow seed direct into soil (3-5 mm) that has had some compost and fertiliser worked in. For leaf varieties thin to 30cm apart and head and cos varities to 40cm apart. Rows should be about 40cm apart. For a continuous supply sow a mix of varieties every 3-4 weeks.
- If you are going to sow into punnets or cells do not overcrowd them because when transplanting and the root structures get stressed or broken when pulled apart they can be triggered into seed production early. Turning bitter and running to seed.
Problems:
- Slugs and snails can cause havoc with seedlings. Once harvesting the lettuce give a good rinse or soak to get rid of any hiding in your dinner.
Harvest:
- Harvest heads when firm or leaf as needed.
Sowing periods
10 out of 10 for this loose leaf lettuce. With thick, succulent, crisp green leaves that have a frilled margin, this variety provides a wholesome, weighty base for a salad. Pick leaves as needed or harvest whole. Easy to grow and slow to bolt. One of our favourite lettuces for flavour and thick crisp leaves. 200 seeds.
An unusual lettuce with crisp, deep red leaves that have green undersides. While this lettuce has ornamental value, with the wavy dark red leaves, it is a great addition to the garden as it is slow to bolt in summer. This loose leafed lettuce can be used as a ‘cut and come again’ or harvested when mature. A delicate flavour from baby leaf to mature. 600 seeds.
This compact, semi-cos lettuce is an old English favourite & a reliable winter salad staple. Its unusually dark-green leaves are so tightly-folded even the outer ones form part of the head. Hardy & very frost tolerant, this early-to-crop lettuce can be grown throughout winter. Not to WA. 400 seeds.
A ‘Lollo Rossa’ style lettuce that has shades of intensely red leaves. The leaves are dense and very wavy/curly creating plenty of pools for those salads with super tasty dressings. A dual-purpose lettuce; the leaves are ideal for use as baby leaf or wait until the plants mature to harvest a full, stunning head of deep red leaves. Slow to bolt. 500 seeds.
With deeply lobed, curl/ frilly dark red leaves the ‘Spritzer’ is perfect in salads due to its loft/bulk and ability to hold up to heavy lashings of salad dressing! The rosettes stay tight and upright, making them easy to harvest. An oak leaf/tango style variety popular with both home and market gardeners as it a ‘cut and come again’ variety. 500 seeds.
A perfect ‘cut and come again’ lettuce with deeply lobed, curl/ frilly leaves. The green leaves are perfect in salads due to its loft/bulk and ability to hold up to heavy lashings of salad dressing! The rosettes stay tight and upright, making them easy to harvest. An oak leaf style variety popular with both home and market gardeners. 500 seeds.