Plant small patches of lettuce seeds and transplants in succession every two weeks, starting in April.
This vegetable has the sad reputation from ancient Greece of rendering males impotent.
In spite of this mistaken claim, it still became popular around the world. Eaten raw or steamed, lettuce has been grown and enjoyed since the ancient Egyptians.
While we're familiar with the green and red headed varieties that dominate grocery stores, I like some of the older, more unique shaped and colored heirloom lettuces. They're beautiful and tasty.
Speckled or Flashy Trout Back is also known as Forellenschuss in Austrian. This Romaine variety has green leaves with burgundy colored specks. It's slow to bolt or turn bitter.
Australian Yellow Leaf hails from Down Under. It's a lime-green colored, loose leaf variety with a mild taste and heat tolerance.
Amish Deer Tongue lettuce comes in green or red tinged varieties. It has pointed, narrow leaves, and is best planted as a spring lettuce.
For small space gardeners, try the classic Tom Thumb. It grows into small, cabbage-like heads, only three to four inches wide.
Lettuce likes cool, moist conditions to grow. Start seed indoors now, for transplanting outdoors, in about one month. If you grow lettuce seedlings under lights, plant extra, and harvest them as baby greens indoors.
Outdoors, plant small patches of lettuce seeds and transplants in succession every two weeks, starting in April, depending on where you live. In summer, plant only transplants, because lettuce seed doesn't germinate well in the heat.
Start seeding again in August for fall crops. Keep slugs off your lettuce using the organic iron phosphate bait called Sluggo. These small golden pellets kill slugs, but are safe for wildlife, pets and kids.
Next week on the Connecticut Garden Journal, I'll be talking about magnolias. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
