Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a hardy annual plant in the Asteraceae or daisy family. It is usually grown as a leafy vegetable and is typically used in salads but can been seen in other food types such as wraps and salads and is occasionally grilled. This leafy green has loads of vitamin K and vitamin A as well as being a source of folate and iron.
The ancient Egyptians cultivated its weedy ancestor and developed into the vegetable we know today. It spread through the Greek city states and to the Roman Empire and many cultivars and varieties were developed. This development continued throughout the middle ages in Europe and additional cultivars were produced – many of which can still be found in home vegetable gardens.
Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables grown by the beginning gardener. It is best suited to the low temperatures of the spring and fall to prevent bolting (flowering and seed production) and to keep the flavors mild. It can be attacked by fungal and bacterial diseases and can attacked by insect and other animals. It also needs plenty of fertilizer, compost, or fish or blood meal to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
There are seven cultivar groups of lettuce which contain many different cultivars and types. These include:
- Leaf Lettuce – One of the mostly widely cultivated types, leaf, looseleaf, or bunching lettuce features loose leaves without a central head and use mostly for salads.
- Romaine or Cos – This type of lettuce forms long, upright heads and leaves that often used in Caesar salads and on sandwiches.
- Iceberg/Crisphead – This is the ubiquitous lettuce found in the United States in many salads and on sandwiches. It forms tight heads and was originally adapted for growing in colder temperatures. It is favored by commercial growers, wholesalers, and retailers due to its ability to withstand shipping. Like many other veggies cultivated for ease of shipping, this variety lacks flavor and is lower in vitamins and minerals.
- Butterhead – Butterhead, Boston, Bibb, or round lettuce (UK) is a known for its tenderness and sweet flavors. It forms heads but they are much looser than that found in Iceberg.
- Summercrisp – Summercrisp, Batavian crips, or French crisp is a mixture of the cripshead and leafy lettuce cultivar groups. They form large, loose heads and are known for their flavor and bolt-resistance.
- Celtuce – Celtuce or “stem” lettuce is rather unique. It is grown for its thick stalk rather than it’s small leaves and is used in Chinese cuisine and to a much lesser extent, creamed or stewed in western cooking.
- Oilseed – A rarely seen variety in the home garden, this type is cultivated for its large seeds which are pressed for cooking oil.
Do you want to try growing your own lettuce in your veggie patch? Take a look at all of our growing and harvesting guides down below. Happy gardening!
How to Plant and Grow Parris Island Cos Lettuce
‘Parris Island Cos’ lettuce is a heat- and drought-resistant romaine type that forms crisp, cupped leaves with a mild flavor and refreshing crunch. This cultivar is mosaic virus resistant and doesn’t bolt easily. Learn more about how to plant and grow this tried-and-true variety in this guide. Read more now.
How to Plant and Grow Leaf Lettuce
Ready to always have fresh salad ingredients for harvesting? You need to grow leaf lettuce. An easy-to-grow annual vegetable for the home gardener, leaf lettuce requires proper cultivation for peak tastiness. Our guide has all the info you need, from sowing protocols to plant health care. Read more now.
How to Identify and Manage Soft Rot in Lettuce
Soft rot in lettuce is a terrible, awful, no-good bacterial disease. As you might have guessed from the name, it causes rotten, soft areas in lettuce plants. It can completely destroy your lettuce heads, and there’s no known cure. Learn more about what you can do to prevent and deal with soft rot in lettuce in this guide.
3 Common Causes of White Spots on Lettuce
If you’re growing lettuce and you notice white spots on the leaves, you need to act fast to save your crops. Spotting on the leaves can be caused by a couple of different diseases as well as a particular pest. Learn what causes white spots on lettuce and what to do about it in this guide. Read more now.
How to Plant and Grow ‘Winter Density’ Lettuce
‘Winter Density’ is a fantastic crisp, juicy cross between butterhead and romaine lettuce. It’s tolerant of frost and won’t bolt in mild heat. Plus, it’s resistant to most fungal diseases, making growing it a cinch. Learn how to plant, and grow ‘Winter Density’ lettuce in this comprehensive guide. Read more now.
How to Prevent Lettuce from Bolting
If a lettuce plant flowers, this means its life is almost over. It’s setting seed and getting ready to die. Also known as bolting, there are things that you can do to avoid premature flowering. Learn what causes it, and what to do if bolting happens in your lettuce patch. Read more now in our guide to bolting lettuce.
Best Companion Plants to Grow with Lettuce
Lettuce is easy to grow in the vegetable garden, but unfortunately it can fall victim to many common issues. Companion planting is a way to maximize usable growing space and help to alleviate some pest problems. Learn which crops make the best companions for lettuce to ensure a healthier harvest in this guide. Read more.
How to Protect Lettuce Seedlings from Damping Off
Lettuce is a delicate crop that can fall victim to a number of maladies. Just after sprouting, damping off can quickly level an entire flat of seedlings with little warning and few visible symptoms. Learn what to watch out for and how to plan ahead to avoid this common disease with our expert tips. Read more now.
Tips for Growing Summer Crisp (Batavian) Lettuce
Batavian lettuce, aka summer crisp, is heat and frost tolerant, disease resistant, and downright delicious with sweet, crisp leaves. It’s a semi-heading type, so you get the best of both heading and loose-leaf varieties. Learn more about planting and growing these versatile lettuces in this comprehensive guide.
9 of the Best Types of Containers for Growing Lettuce
Learn about the top nine containers that make the cut for growing lettuce, whether your goal is to produce a bumper crop or just enough for a few fresh salads. This is one veggie that can easily thrive when grown in a container, but choosing the right type is an important part of producing healthy leaves and heads.
Tips for Growing Ice Queen Lettuce
Looking for a crisp, flavorful iceberg lettuce? All hail the queen! ‘Reine des Glaces,’ also called ‘Ice Queen,’ is sweet and juicy and grows in a compact shape that does well indoors or out. Disease resistant, it’s also an heirloom type, which means you can harvest the seeds and plant it again next year.
How to Grow Lettuce in Containers
Fresh, healthy salads and leafy wraps taste better when they’re made with homegrown produce. Growing a small crop of lettuce is easy to do with the help of containers. You might even be able to reduce pest issues! Learn how to produce crisp, flavorful heads in a small amount of space for harvests nearly year-round.
Tips for Growing Lettuce Indoors
For a vegetable crop that you can quickly grow indoors all year long, try lettuce. Our guide explains how to sow and grow your own lettuce indoors, from picking the best cultivars to providing the right light exposure. Read more now for all the info you need so you can start harvesting fresh greens soon.
How and When to Harvest Leaf Lettuce
Avoid bolting and say goodbye to scant yields by choosing the best time to pick homegrown leaf lettuce. Whether you’re growing microgreens, baby leaf, or full-size greens, these harvest methods will help you pick the best-tasting lettuce at the peak of freshness. Tasty salads are in your future, so read more now.
Why Homegrown Lettuce Is Bitter and How to Prevent It
Bitter lettuce is such a disappointment. Potential causes include too little water, too much heat, or early-season bolting. In this guide, learn how to prevent a harsh taste when you sow or tend this salad staple. The trick is to select the best varieties, give your plants plenty of water, and harvest on schedule.
Do You Need to Protect Lettuce from Frost in the Garden?
Lettuce thrives in cool weather, but is frost too much for this leafy green? In this guide, we share the most frost-tolerant lettuce varieties to grow in your garden, along with ways to protect salad greens in freezing temperatures. Avoiding frozen roots is the key to fresh lettuce through fall and into the winter.
How to Identify and Prevent Common Lettuce Diseases
If you’re growing lettuce for fresh salads, there’s nothing more frustrating than finding your crop has been ruined by disease. From bacteria to viruses, there are a number of potential pathogens to contend with. In this guide, we take a look at some common lettuce diseases and offer tips for prevention. Read more now.
How to Identify and Control Common Lettuce Pests
If you’re growing lettuce it can sometimes feel as though all the animals and insects in the neighborhood want to share your homegrown harvest. In this guide, we’ll cover the most common lettuce pests, both large and small, and provide tips on how to identify the culprits, prevent, and control them. Read more now.
How to Grow Buttercrunch Lettuce
Ask any gardener what they’re growing this season, and more than likely, that list will include lettuce. Buttercrunch is one of the most popular varieties for the home garden, with a soft, buttery texture perfect for wraps, sandwiches, and salads. Learn how to triumph over pests and pitfalls when growing buttercrunch.
How to Regrow Lettuce from Kitchen Scraps
Did you know you can turn lettuce scraps into more delicious, leafy greens with nothing but a container, some water, and a little bit of time? We’ll show you how to grow your own hyper-local greens for free, with minimal effort. It’s also a fun project to do with the kids. Learn more now.
29 of the Best Lettuce Varieties For Your Garden
Lettuce is an easy to grow, nutritious addition to your vegetable patch. There are lots of cultivars available in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. From the classic crunch of the crisphead to the delicate, tender oak leaf, there’s sure to be one to suit you. Discover 29 of our favorite lettuce varieties.
Plant Your Salad Greens Early: Tips for Growing Lettuce and Microgreens
Fresh, crisp, and succulent, salad greens are best suited to grow in the early days of spring. But with a little planning and ingenuity, you can enjoy these tasty morsels almost every month of the year. Get all the details right here on the best growing conditions and environment for a steady harvest!
How to Be Successful with Your Lettuce Patch
Need help getting your lettuce patch up to snuff? Give our detailed guide a read for the best tips to grow leaf and head types in veggie patches, raised beds, and containers, everything from arugula to romaine. We cover seed starting and planting tips, watering and fertilization requirements, how to harvest, and more.
