Lettuce Cultivars by David Shankbone, New York City

As a home farmer, growing single types of lettuce can get boring.  The fun of growing at home is growing a number of varieties that you wouldn’t necessarily buy for yourself.  This year, I’m planting two mixes of lettuces — European Mesclun Salad and Rocky Top Lettuce Salad.  I’ll talk about Rocky Top tomorrow.

European Mesclun Salad mix contains radicchio, arugula (formerly known as rocket), endive, orach, mizuna, kale, mustard, and corn salad.  I grow kale separately, but it adds variety to this salad mix.

Many people grow lettuces indoors and then transplant outside.  Primarily you’d like the warm soil to allow the lettuce to sprout — something we don’t get outside in Chicago in April.  Call me a little lazy, but I don’t mind waiting a few more days for the seeds to sprout directly in the ground.

In past years I’ve thrown seeds around in the plot to let them grow where ever they fell.  With salads, you tend to cut them at different times — early for baby leaves and later for full salad heads.  With the website and a new camera, I want to take more pictures of the vegetables throughout the season, so I’ve planted them this year in a more traditional row method.  At least I’ll be able to compare whether rows or free fall makes a difference.

Related articles:

1. Planted: Rocky Top Lettuce
2. Planted: Radishes
3. On the Farm, June 6, 2009