A vegetable that takes up
a small amount of space in the garden and that is good to
eat is lettuce. Lettuce is a cool weather crop, making it a
good addition to your garden in the fall.
There are four main types of lettuce including crisphead lettuce, looseleaf lettuce, romaine lettuce and butterhead lettuce. A good choice for Alabama is a lettuce of the looseleaf type.
Looseleaf lettuces mature in 40 to 50 days and have a
good heat tolerance. Plain green looseleaf lettuces that the
home gardener might want to try are Curly Oak Leaf and Royal
Oak Leaf. Some colored looseleaf lettuces that do well in
Alabama are Red Sails, Rouge Salad Bowl and Sierra. Fall is
the best time to plant some of the longer maturing lettuces
and salad greens in Alabama.
The most commonly available lettuce seed is Iceberg, which is a crisphead lettuce. It takes 80 to 100 days to mature and is commonly grown in square-foot gardens, raised bed gardens and container gardens.
If you prefer butterhead lettuce, which matures at around 55 to 70 days, Aquarius and Buttercrunch are two types you may want to try.
A lettuce that has become popular in markets and in salads is Romaine lettuce. This lettuce is fast maturing, slow to bolt and can grow 8 to 19 inches tall. A good variety to plant is Paris Island Cos.
Lettuce is sensitive to pH and needs to be grown in a soil with a pH of 6.5 to 6.8. Plant it in a well-drained soil that has the ability to hold moisture. Watch out for slugs - they love lettuce as much as you do!
Most lettuces can be established by direct seed or by transplants. If there is a danger of a late frost after planting, cover the lettuce with a row cover. When interspersed with ornamental plantings, lettuce adds interesting colors and textures to accent your garden.
Source: Mary Beth Musgrove, Extension Home Horticulture Associate, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, (334) 844-5481
Prepared by Jana Huggins, Agricultural Journalism Intern