(Lactuca sativa) Vibrant red tips on green leaves, this looseleaf adds a wonderful shade of red to a salad. Another individual plant discovered in a field of “Prizehead” in the 1980s, Royal Red is a former intellectual property protected lettuce that now resides publicly in the USDA collection. Wavy, crumpled, thick leaves that pack a lot of texture into a bite, with a pleasing crunch. Young lettuces do not show much red in the flats, but develop bright painted tips in the field. A great old-school "red leaf" market variety. 55 days. UO
Note: Seeds will become dormant if exposed to high temperatures. Lettuce grows best in cooler weather.
PLANTING DEPTH:
1/8-1/4"
SPACING:
12" in rows 15" apart.
EMERGENCE:
2-10 days @ soil temp 68F and lower.
LIGHT:
Full sun to part shade
FERTILITY:
Medium. Prefers well-drained, and evenly moist soil and is sensitive to low pH.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Uneven watering can result in tip burn, the browning of the leaf margins, which is the result of an inability of the plant to move calcium to the growing edge fast enough to meet its growth needs. Consistent, evenly moist soil or calcium amendments can be beneficial if this seems to be a problem.
Hot weather can cause premature bolting. Generally, when the plants begin to stretch upwards (to flower), the leaves become bitter and the eating quality poor.
