Summer Lettuce
As summer nears and the weather warms it’s time for a post on summer lettuce. I’ve had varied success over the years growing lettuce in my coastal summer garden and that’s chronicled in the links at the end.
This spring my strategy was to start seedlings of heat-tolerant lettuce varieties in mid-March: Jericho, Cimarron, Pomegranate Crunch and Dark Lollo Rossa. In early May, I moved the seedlings to the garden, finding shaded locations to tuck them in. Photos illustrate this best.
Four ‘Cimarron’ lettuce seedlings were planted around a clump of dill seedlings which now provide light shade.
Here, ‘Jericho’ and ‘Dark Lollo Rossa’ are planted on the back side of the trellis that will support the climbing honey butternut squash on the other side. When the ‘Jericho lettuce is harvested, the ‘Dark Lollo Rossa’ will usurp the space for the summer.
A dozen ‘Pomegranate Crunch’ seedlings were nestled around four tomato plants. The tomatoes are about 18 inches tall and provide some shade during the day.
You can read more about summer lettuce in these previous blog posts.
Summer Lettuce Favorites
Growing Summer Lettuce
Summer Lettuce Retrospective
Summer Lettuce, Finally
Summer Mesclun Lettuce
Garden Hacks—3
On Lettuce and Conversation
Key take-aways:
Choose lettuce varieties that are more heat-tolerant. (See Summer Lettuce Favorites)
Sow lettuce in seed trays for later transplant to the garden or purchase starts.
Plant summer lettuce in late spring.
Protect seedlings from birds.
Consider growing lettuce in pots that can be moved to shaded locations as needed.
Don’t give up.
An August harvest of ‘Dark Lollo Rossa’ lettuce.
