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Super Gourmet Salad Blend combines five very popular lettuce varieties. Even as seedlings, their appearance is quite different and they can be easily thinned to your chosen proportions in the row. Sow small amounts at two to three week intervals for a continuous harvest. This blend is pretty enough for the flower garden. The blend includes Simpson Elite, Salad Bowl, Darkness, Rouge d'Hiver, and Grand Rapids - so you get a nice range of colors and leaf shapes for instant mixed salads all summer long.
60 - 80 Days to Harvest!
How to Grow Lettuce
Step 1: Timing
Lettuce grows best in cool weather in the spring and fall, but it can be grown in the summer, and all winter long in milder regions. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks following the last average frost date for a continual harvest. Using a cloche, cold frame, or greenhouse over mid-late summer plantings can extend the harvest period right into winter. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-22°C (50-72°F). Seeds should sprout in 7-15 days, depending on conditions. Lettuce seeds don’t sprout easily when the soil temperature is over 22°C (72°F) in summer. Get around this by sprouting them indoors in a cool area, or pre-sprout by sprinkling seeds on a damp paper towel and placing it in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days. In hot weather most lettuce goes to seed rapidly, so have new plantings ready to go, and watch for "good resistance to bolting" in the product description.
Step 2: Starting
Direct sow or start indoors and transplant. Sow seeds 5mm (¼”) deep, or on the surface of the soil where the soil can be kept evenly moist. Space or thin heading lettuce to 30cm (12″) apart. Space or thin looseleaf varieties to 20-25cm (8-10″) apart. Space rows for all types 45-90cm (18-36″) apart. Babyleaf and Loose leaf lettuce can be planted quite densely, as it is harvested at an immature size. Sowing lettuce seeds closely together in narrow rows makes harvesting simpler.
Step 3: Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.5.
Aim for a soil with ample drainage and lots of organic matter. Add compost and lime at least 3 weeks prior to planting. One cup of balanced organic fertilizer per 3m (10′) of row will give adequate nutrition. Seedlings should be hardened off by reducing water and putting the plants outdoors 2 or 3 days before transplanting. This will help to prevent transplant shock and premature bolting. Regular watering is essential to prevent leaves from developing a bitter taste.
Step 4: Germination
Days to maturity: From direct sowing. Most varieties will be ready for harvesting as baby leaves in half the days shown on the packet.
In optimal growing conditions at least 70% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years.
Step 5: Harvest
Pick individual leaves or wait and harvest full heads. Mature summer lettuce stays in prime eating condition only a short time, so harvest promptly and keep planting. In fall and winter the plants stay in good harvest condition longer.