Updated 11/15/24: Oviedo, FL: This is my lettuce documentary for the varieties I have never heard until I started learning to grow lettuces. I am on a quest to collect and test 32 lettuce varieties in Oviedo, Florida. I learned there are four types of lettuces, but there are varieties for each type. The varieties fall into four types of lettuces; bibb (butterhead) lettuce, loose leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, and stem lettuce. My husband, friends, and I love eating lettuces with baked or air fried fish and rice paper rolls. I am determined to grow lettuces year round.
Post Outline:
- General Lettuce Information
- PDF Lettuce Germination Rate Recording Chart
- Lettuce Varieties (Frost and Heat-tolerant varieties)
- How to Collect Lettuce Seeds
- Where to Buy Lettuce Seeds
- Lettuce Gallery – photos of my homegrown lettuces
1. General Lettuce Information
- Four types of lettuces: bibb (butterhead), loose leaf, romaine, and stem lettuce
- Sunlight: full sun or partial shade
- Watering: 3 times a week by my sprinkler system or hand watering
- Planting: directly in ground, in raised beds, or in pots
- Spacing: about 10 to 15 inches apart
- Season: Know which variety is frost tolerant and or heat tolerant
- Days to maturity varies from variety to variety.
- Propagation method: by seed
2. PDF Lettuce Germination Rate Recording Chart
Note: I do sell lettuce seeds for $1 per seed packet as part of my buy 14 different seed packets for a flat rate of $20 (shipping included). I keep my seed packets at a low cost by buying them in bulk amount from licensed seed companies.
3. Lettuce Varieties
Frost Tolerant Lettuce Varieties:
- L1. Tango – 43 days
- L2. Priezehead – 45 days
- L3. Red Romaine – 40 days
- L4. Red Velvet – 55 days
- L5. Sweet Valentine – 55 days – sold
- L6. Speckled – 55 days
- L7. Tom Thumb – 60 days
- L8. Oakleaf – 65 days (heat-tolerant)
- L9. Bronze Mignonette – 65 days
- L10. Buttercrunch – 65 days
Frost and Heat-Tolerant Lettuces:
- L11. OutRedgeous – 28 days
- L12. Carmona Red – 55 days
- L13. Butter King – 60 days
- L14. All the Year Round – 69 days
Heat Tolerant Lettuce Varieties:
- L15. Little Gem – 40 days
- L16. Merlot – 43 days
- L17. Deer Tongue – 46 days
- L18. Jericho – 47 days
- L19. Seafresh – 46 days
- L20. Rouge D’Hiver – 47 days
- L21. Paris Cos Island – 47 days
- L22. Royak Oakleaf – 50 days
- L23. Freckles – 55 days
- L24. Cimmaron – 58 days
Stem lettuces
- AA Choy (Swordleaf lettuce): Sword Leaf lettuce is commonly known as Taiwanese AA Choy and it’s available at any Chinese or Southeast Asian markets. This is one of my favorite lettuce to eat with rice paper rolls (gỏi cuốn) and Vietnamese sizzling crepes (bánh xèo).
- Sumer Celtuce 38
- Celtuce Spring Mix: Spring Tower, Purple Tower, and ShiXinWoSun: Celtuces are also known as Chinese asparagus, aparagus lettuce, stem lettuce, rau tiến vua (Vietnamese), yamakurage (Japanese). Leaves are tender for the first six weeks and then becomes mild as the plant focus on fattening up the stems. The fat celtuce lettuce stems are highly valued and sold in Asian markets as it can be used in stir fry. The stems are often peeled, shredded, dehydrated, and pickled for Japanese and Vietnamese celtuce salads to give a super crunchy taste. I have a separate documentary on “Growing Celtuces”. Link: TBD
- Note: *Beijing Express Hybrid Wawacai is a pak choi (bok choy) that looks like a romaine lettuce that can be substituted as a romaine lettuce for all seasons. I got curious and am testing this just to find out how it taste compared to romaine lettuce.
4. How to Collect Lettuce Seeds
I just rather buy a new packet of seed instead. If you planned on collecting lettuce seeds, Jeff at The Ripe Tomato Farms has a great YouTube video explaining how and when to collect lettuce seeds: https://youtu.be/Z3cRlmIWxB4.
Bolting is when it’s start producing a stem in the center for its final flowering and seeding stage of life. Harvest all the lettuce but leave one or two plant to complete its flowering stage if you want to collect the seeds.
(insert photo of emerging flower stem)
5. Where to Buy Lettuce Seeds?
- Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop – that’s where I purchased bulk seed packets to split up and sell in small portions for a lower price. It’s not my shop.
- Tomorrow Seeds Etsy shop
- Urban Farmer online shop
- Kitazawa Seed Company
- I sell lettuce seeds in increments of 1/4 teaspoon of lettuce seeds as part of my “Buy 14 seed packets for $20 flat rate” bundle deal. See my seed inventory list on my blog in the Shop category. My favorite lettuce varieties has a heart icon next to its name.
6. Lettuce Gallery
Just photos of my homegrown lettuces
