Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Prizehead Lettuce is an exceptional leaf lettuce variety that is grown for its visually appealing, tender, and flavorful leaves. With large, frilly, and deeply lobed foliage, this lettuce has green leaves with red tips. Its mild, sweet, and slightly nutty flavor enhances salads, sandwiches, and garnishes, while the tender, crisp leaves delight the palate. Perfect for cool-season gardening, Prizehead Lettuce thrives in early spring and fall, making it a versatile addition to gardens and culinary creations, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a food enthusiast.
NAME: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
VARIETY: Prizehead
DAYS TO MATURITY: 45 – 55 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Annual
STATIFICATION: Not required
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 3 – 12
SUNLIGHT: Full – Partial Sun
SOIL: Well-draining, fertile soils with a pH 6.4– 6.8
SPACING: 6 – 8 inches
PLANT HEIGHT: 7 – 10 inches
TEMP: 45 – 70ºF
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Start seeds indoors 2 weeks before your last local frost date, in cell trays with 2 to 3 seeds per cell. Use a loose & fluffy seed starting soil mix. Water in seeds generously and germination will occur in 6 to 11 days.
Once the first set of true leaves show, thin out all but one of the seedlings per cell.
You can also start them in large pots if you plan to grow them entirely in pots.
When the seedlings are two inches tall, harden off seedlings for several days before transplanting outside. Do this by taking them outside during the day and bringing them in at night (Outside temps should be above 50°F when you start this process).
When transplanting, plant the seedling into the soil up to the base of the stem, spacing the plants 5 to 8 inches apart.
If direct seeding lettuce outdoors, plant each seed 1/4 inch deep and 2 inches apart in rows that are spaced 12 inches apart.
Once they get to be a few inches tall and show their true leaves thin them out so they are spaced 5 to 8 inches apart.
It is ideal to plant lettuce in the spring and fall in a spot that is in full sun.
If you want to grow lettuce during the hottest weeks of summer, partial shaded areas or additional shade cloth can, to an extent, help prevent bolting caused by hot weather.
Lettuce grows best in loose, fertile soil with good drainage and a pH between 6.5-7.0; adding compost to the soil prior to planting will help provide essential nutrients and improve drainage.
If you plant lettuce in successive plantings, with 10 to 14 days in between, you will have an extended harvest.
To prevent summer bolting, stop planting one month before the hottest summer temps start.
Plant fall-harvested lettuce towards the end of summer so it reaches maturity by late fall, when the air is cool, but not yet below 40°F.
It is ideal to plant lettuce in the spring and fall in a spot that is in full sun.
If you want to grow lettuce during the hottest weeks of summer, partial shaded areas or additional shade cloth can, to an extent, help prevent bolting caused by hot weather.
Lettuce grows best in loose, fertile soil with good drainage and a pH between 6.5-7.0; adding compost to the soil prior to planting will help provide essential nutrients and improve drainage.
If you plant lettuce in successive plantings, with 10 to 14 days in between, you will have an extended harvest.
To prevent summer bolting, stop planting one month before the hottest summer temps start.
Plant fall-harvested lettuce towards the end of summer so it reaches maturity by late fall, when the air is cool, but not yet below 40°F.
Begin harvesting Cimarron Romaine Lettuce when the leaves are young and tender, typically about 40-60 days after planting.
Use scissors or a sharp knife to cut the outer leaves, leaving the center leaves to continue growing.
Harvest lettuce leaves in the morning for the best flavor and texture.
Continue to harvest regularly to encourage new growth and prolong the harvest period.
