Lettuce Stardom Mix - Renee's Garden

START SEEDS OUTDOORS

In cool spring weather, start seeds in full sun. Sow seeds 1/4 in. deep and 1 in. apart in fertile, well-drained soil. Keep evenly moist but not soggy. As seedlings begin to grow, it's critical to thin out young plants to a final spacing of 10 in. apart so they have room to mature to large, leafy rosettes (extra seedlings will transplant easily to grow elsewhere). Container Growing: Plan on 5 to 7 full heads in a 16 to 18 in. pot or a 9 x 12 in. window box; 3 full heads in an 8 in. pot.

GROWING NOTES

Lettuce thrives in cool conditions. Carefully thin and keep evenly moist for sweet tasting, full heads. For a constant supply, make several sowings a few weeks apart until summer heat comes on. In hot weather, give lettuces some afternoon shade and check water daily. Feed with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks. Sow more seeds in late summer for delicious fall harvest.

HARVEST AND USE

Use these beauties as a garden accent or colourful border. Or transplant seedlings around edges of a big pot holding a young tomato or pepper plant, then harvest when the bigger plants need the space. Savor young thinnings in your first spring salads. Harvest mature heads when they are well filled out or harvest longest leaves from the outside of each plant. Red lettuce seedlings grow slower than green, so thin green early to allow red plants room to grow.