Online Vegetable Seeds Catalogue

Sds/g: 700-1000                  Feed Requirements: Moderate                         Usual Seed Life:4-6 years

Cultural Notes:

• An essential to grow in the garden or containers as the supermarket greens never taste as good freshly picked. Packaged supermarket salad greens may be treated with a chlorine-containing compound and/or an antioxidant or preservative during washing or before packaging.
• Lettuce may be harvested 12 months of the year in Tasmania, ensure that you grow the correct varieties to see you through winter and into early spring or grow in a greenhouse or cold frame.
• The four main types of lettuce eaten in Australia are crisphead (tight heads), butterhead (looser heads), cos/romaine and leaf. Most lettuce varieties prefer cool weather to grow (16-18ºC) and this is especially true of the heading types, so it is best to sow them up to the end of October. Cos and leaf varieties grow better through the heat of summer.
• Lettuce requires large amounts of water as they have shallow root systems. Never let them go thirsty otherwise you will end up with bitter a bitter lettuce and they will tend to go to seed earlier. Over-mature lettuce (starting to go to seed) also tastes bitter. Seeds germinate best at 18-20ºC and even at temperatures as low as 5ºC, but germinate poorly above 24ºC (the seed can go dormant in high temperatures). Sow seed direct into soil (3-5 mm) that has had some compost and fertiliser worked in. For leaf varieties thin to 30cm apart and head and cos varities to 40cm apart. Rows should be about 40cm apart. For a continuous supply sow a mix of varieties every 3-4 weeks.
• If you are going to sow into punnets or cells do not overcrowd them because when transplanting and the root structures get stressed or broken when pulled apart they can be triggered into seed production early. Turning bitter and running to seed.

Problems:

• Slugs and snails can cause havoc with seedlings. Once harvesting the lettuce give a good rinse or soak to get rid of any hiding in your dinner.

Harvest:

• Harvest heads when firm or leaf as needed.