Lettuce- Salad Bowl Red

Lettuce – Salad Bowl Red

Lactuca sativa

Description

Lettuce 'Salad Bowl Red' is a loose-leaf variety featuring delicate, tender red-green wavy leaves with excellent flavour and texture. Ideal for salads, this variety is slow to bolt and remains sweet without turning bitter, even in warmer conditions. As a cut-and-come-again type, it allows for continuous harvesting of fresh leaves throughout the season, making it a favourite among home gardeners.

Growing Instructions:

When to Sow
Lettuce can be sown throughout the year in most climates, although extreme heat or cold may affect germination and growth. For best results, refer to your regional planting guide to determine the optimal sowing times.

Preparation
Choose a spot in full sun or partial shade that receives at least three hours of direct sunlight each day. Lettuce prefers well-drained soil enriched with plenty of organic matter. Prepare the bed by removing weeds, loosening the soil, and incorporating compost or aged manure. For container growing, use a high-quality potting mix and a container of at least 10 litres in volume. Containers may require more frequent watering and fertilising to support healthy plant growth.

How to Sow
Lettuce seeds do not need pre-treatment before planting. Seeds can be sown directly into the garden or started in trays for later transplanting. To sow directly, plant seeds 3 millimetres deep and space them 30 centimetres apart in rows spaced 50 centimetres apart. Keep the soil consistently moist, avoiding both waterlogging and drying out. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 14 days at soil temperatures between 8 and 23 degrees Celsius. When raising seedlings in trays, sow seeds 3 millimetres deep in seed-raising mix. Once the first true leaves appear and seedlings reach 5 to 10 centimetres tall, they can be transplanted into the garden, spaced as above. For loose-leaf varieties like Salad Bowl Red, a scatter-sow method is also effective—simply roughen the soil surface, scatter seeds evenly, and lightly cover with soil.

How to Grow
Water your lettuce plants regularly, especially when the top five centimetres of soil begin to dry out. Deep watering in the early morning or late afternoon is ideal. Avoid wetting the leaves to reduce the risk of fungal disease. To give plants room to develop, thin out weaker seedlings once they are large enough to handle, ensuring final spacing of about 30 centimetres. If the soil was well-prepared before planting, no additional fertiliser is necessary. However, if needed, apply a high-nitrogen fertiliser or one formulated for leafy greens. Use a slow-release fertiliser when transplanting or when seedlings reach 5 to 10 centimetres in height. During active growth, a liquid fertiliser applied at the recommended frequency can boost productivity.

How to Harvest
Lettuce 'Salad Bowl Red' is generally ready to harvest in 50 to 60 days. As a loose-leaf variety, you can begin picking individual leaves once they are large enough to eat. Harvest by gently pinching off the outer leaves, allowing the centre to continue growing for multiple harvests. For best flavour and texture, consume harvested leaves promptly. Store any unused leaves in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for short-term freshness.