…and the livin’ is easy. We might lose some people here, but we are waving the flag for an iceberg lettuce comeback. Hating on iceberg has become totally cliché. Vegetable styrofoam, textured water…we’ve heard them all. Get over it, cool club! Seriously, I’m not talking about weeks-old cello wrapped heads from the supermarket… have you ever even eaten it fresh out of the garden? Years ago we grew summertime sort of as a joke. We were eating it over a farm lunch in the fields, dipping wedges of a head in salad dressing, and eventually we all broke down into laughter as making conversation over the noise of the crunching was impossible. Look, crunchy lettuce is fun, and any vegetable that can make me laugh out loud has earned a welcome home in my garden. Crisp tight heads, very slow to bolt (so much so that it’s actually really hard to produce seed for), and a party in your mouth. Oregon State Univ. bred. 60-65 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.
