Lettuce: put some crunch into your veggie garden
An expanding selection of delicious, crisp lettuce varieties can be grown year-round in coastal Marin and during the cooler months inland. These range from culinary mainstays like butterhead and romaine to multi-colored selections that jazz up salads. Spring is a great time to get lettuce starts into the ground.
Here's how to grow lettuce and some suggestions for tasty varieties to try.
For best results:
- Choose a sunny spot
- Plant in fertile, well-drained soil
- Water regularly
- Sow lettuce every three weeks for a continuous harvest
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Alkindus: Uniform, reliable, attractive dark red butterhead lettuce. Performs well in spring, summer, and fall. Smaller, denser heads in cooler weather. High resistance to downy mildew. Intermediate resistance to lettuce mosaic virus. Open-pollinated.
Uses: Salads
Spacing: 12 inches apart
Days To Maturity: 45 days
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Bambi: A “Little Gem” type bibb lettuce for small tender heads. Grows well in early, mid-season, and late-season plantings. High resistance to downy mildew.
Uses: Salads
Spacing: 6 to 12 inches apart
Days To Maturity: 50 days
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Breen: A true compact small-head romaine lettuce. Averages 8 inches tall. Medium red-bronze color. High resistance to downy mildew.
Uses: Best for mini heads
Spacing: 12 inches apart
Days To Maturity: 60 days
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Coastal Star: Romaine lettuce with large, heavy green heads. Sweet taste. Heat tolerant. Resistant to corky root.
Uses: Salads
Spacing: 12 inches apart
Days To Maturity: 57
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Panisse: Heat tolerant. Bright green oak leaf lettuce. Dense head with a long harvest window. Best for early or late plantings. Resistant to downy mildew and lettuce mosaic virus.
Uses: Salads
Spacing: 12 inches apart
Days To Maturity: 48 days
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Photo: Territorial Seed Co.
Sylvesta: Butterhead lettuce with exceptional disease resistance. Great flavor. Upright growth.
Uses: Salad
Spacing: 12 inches apart
Days To Maturity: 52 days
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