HunkieDorie23
Deeply Rooted
I bought two types of head lettuce seeds yesterday, iceberg and sunsation (a romaine type). The second is heat tolerant and slow to bolt. I have only grown leaf lettuce and I am not sure how different these are.
Head lettuce?
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chris09
Garden Ornament
Loose Leaf-HunkieDorie23 said:
Looseleaf lettuce is the most heat tolerant and easiest to grow. The leaves are loosely bunched instead of a tight head and harvest can be extended by cutting a few leaves at a time. There are many types and colours such as Grand Rapids, Simpson & Salad Bowls.
(Envy)
Head-
Head Lettuce includes both Butterhead, Boston & Iceburg types. All are wonderful in salads. Butterhead has leaves that form small open heads, and get their name from the buttery center of the head. Iceburg, or Crisphead is your traditional head lettuce.
(Mighty Joe)
Romaine-
Romaine (or Cos) lettuce forms upright clusters of leaves. The crisp texture is a salad staple especially in Caesar Salads.
(Raptor M.I.)
(*Photos and Information from Stokes Seeds*)
Chris
bigredfeather
Garden Ornament
I may be mistaken, but I think Iceburg is hard for us here in Ohio to grow. You will lileky have to water the heck out of it come June. In the past I have started my Buttercrunch lettuce seeds indoors and planted in the garden as started plants. If given enough time and spaced apart, they will form a head.
Here is a pic of a head. This one head was enough lettuce for a meal of our family of four.
Here is a pic of a head. This one head was enough lettuce for a meal of our family of four.
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- #4
HunkieDorie23
Deeply Rooted
This is probably why I have always grown leaf lettuce instead, I normally just grow the mixed variety. I have never tried the buttercrunch. The iceberg was a whim I got at walmart yesterday. I thought for a $1 I'd give it a shot. I think I am going to try to start some indoors and then stick in outside next month in a cold frame.biggreenthumb said:
vfem
Garden Addicted
I grow leaving lettuce since I'm not selling it, I like to pull the outer leaves only when harvesting some to eat, and it will continue to produce more for me until it gets too warm (that's early in the south) and it bolts. I do get a lot of lettuce this way, and when I'm done eating it, I get to collect seed right before fall for another planting! 
Those mixed 'salad' greens packets are filled with loose leaf lettuce types. That's where I got my first packet from, and then saved seed from the bolted lettuce from last spring in the fall.
It does hurt to plant both of course... plus, you get good refridgeration time on the head varieties over the loose leaf varieties. You'll get more then say 4 days with a loose leaf variety... so its a good lettuce to give to neighbors and friends. They'll be as grateful as you to just pull some out of the fridge on a warm summer day after the last of the lettuce is gone.
Those mixed 'salad' greens packets are filled with loose leaf lettuce types. That's where I got my first packet from, and then saved seed from the bolted lettuce from last spring in the fall.
It does hurt to plant both of course... plus, you get good refridgeration time on the head varieties over the loose leaf varieties. You'll get more then say 4 days with a loose leaf variety... so its a good lettuce to give to neighbors and friends. They'll be as grateful as you to just pull some out of the fridge on a warm summer day after the last of the lettuce is gone.
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- #6
HunkieDorie23
Deeply Rooted
I am a cook at the high school and I found out Friday that our head lettuce double in price for next week, which means it's going to do that at the store which is why I thought I'd try to grow some.
vfem
Garden Addicted
Would it be cool if your high school had a garden to help produce what the kids need to eat. I'm sure they'd be more interested in eating it if they great it!
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- #8
HunkieDorie23
Deeply Rooted
The middle school does have a garden but it's not big enough for a school. The local MMRD had a program where they raise tomatoes but they are not at a discounted price to make it worth buying for a cafeteria. If the prices keep going up we are going to have to do something though. A case of 24 heads of lettuce is $56.00. How can you provide better lunches when that prices are the much
chris09
Garden Ornament
I live in N.E. Ohio and I think it depends on type of Iceburg.biggreenthumb said:
I've grown Mighty Joe a Iceburg type that matures in 88 days and never had a problem with it and I always got nice full 8 to 10 inch heads.
But I will also say that I do start my seeds in 3 packs in the Greenhouse and set 4" well rooted plants out in the ground in Mid May.
Chris
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- #10
HunkieDorie23
Deeply Rooted
Yeah, I think I'll start it today. I have my potting stuff out already anyway.chris09 said:
