Photo: "Lettuce" by Dwight Sipler
· CC BY 2.0
Vegetable · Lettuce-loose-leaf
Red Leaf Lettuce
Asteraceae
Attractive red-pigmented loose-leaf lettuce for salad color. 'Red Sails' and 'New Red Fire' are standards. LESS heat-tolerant than green varieties — red pigment absorbs more radiant heat. Not recommended for hot-weather zones. Red pigment fades in low light. Good CCA for 2 cuts.
At a Glance
Days to Maturity
45–55 days
Sun
4+ hours
Spacing
8–10 "
Container
Yes
1+ gallon pot
Zone Planting Guide
Growing Guide
Germination
Germination Time
4–10 days
Optimal Temp
58°F
Seed Depth
0.125"
Watering
Weekly Water
1–1.5 "
Needs
Moderate-consistent
Soil
pH Range
6–7
Resilience
Heat: Low
Cold: Medium
Drought: Low
Harvest
Storage
14 days
Sources
horticultural
Old Farmer's Almanac
seed-catalog
Johnny's Seeds
extension
Growing Lettuce in a Home Garden (University of Maryland Extension)
extension
Growing Lettuce & Other Greens (Oregon State University Extension, PDF)
extension
Cool Season Greens Production (Oklahoma State University Extension, PDF)
More Vegetables
Red Leaf Lettuce Planting Dates by Zone
Planting dates for Red Leaf Lettuce vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.
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