Lettuce – Oakleaf Red

Red Oakleaf is an old cultivar with delicate, toothed, lobed, garnet-colored leaves that can grow to over 15 cm (6 in.) with a slight nutty flavor. It is a leafy or “cutting” lettuce whose young shoots can be harvested as they grow, leaving the core in place, but it can also be left to grow and harvested when the heads are mature. Cold tolerant, this variety is also heat resistant.

Growing tips

Germination conditions:

depth of sowing: 2.5 mm

optimal temperatures of germination: 10 to 22ºC

time for germination: 7 to 14 days

When to sow:

indoor sowing 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date OR

direct sowing when the soil can be worked in the spring until early August

Sowing technique: in pocket

Inside the same hole, sow 3 to 5 seeds spaced 1 to 2 cm apart; when the seeds have germinated and the seedlings have reached a height of 5 cm, keep all the plants if space is available or keep only the best plants.

for indoor seedlings: transplant into individual containers while waiting for transplanting in the garden OR

for direct seedlings: transplant to their final location in the garden

Transplanting outdoors (for seedlings started indoors):

When all risk of frost is removed

Distance in the garden:

between plants: 20 cm

between rows: 30 to 45 cm

Soil: rich and well drained

Exposure: full sun or light shade

When to harvest: 30 days for young leaves, and 50 to 65 days for mature plants

Specificity:

It grows well in pots or window boxes.

QUICK STATS

Number of seeds: ±1000

Difficulty: Easy

Type: Heirloom / Open pollinated

Lifecycle:Annual

Additional information

Weight            1.5 g

Difficulty         

Easy

Sowing          

Direct, Indoor

Lifecycle        

Annual

Root cellar     

No

Sowing season        

Spring, Summer