Loose-Leaf Lettuce

Loose-leaf lettuces form open rosettes instead of firm heads. They suit repeated picking and short cool-weather successions.

Sun

Full sun to part shade

Water

Keep consistently moist

Spacing

8 in

First harvest

25–35 days for baby leaves; 40–55 days for larger plants

Tips

• Space mature plants 6–10 inches apart.
• Pick outer leaves and keep the central growing point.
• Sow small batches regularly.
• Harvest before bolting makes leaves bitter.
• Sow seeds about 1/8 inch deep in cool weather and thin leaf types to 6-8 inches or heading types to 10-12 inches.
• Keep the shallow root zone evenly moist with gentle watering rather than allowing it to dry out.
• Apply a light nitrogen side-dressing if growth is pale or slow and soil fertility is low.
• Check beneath leaves for slugs and remove them or use an iron-phosphate bait labeled for vegetables.
• Harvest outer leaves above the crown, or cut heads before a tall flower stalk develops.

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