🥬
Romaine Lettuce
Parris Island
Leafy GreensDirect SowTransplant
☀️
Sun
full sun
💧
Water
Every 3 days
🌱
Germination
7 days
🕐
Days to harvest
70 days
📏
Planting depth
0.125 inches deep
↔️
Row spacing
14 inches
When to Plant
Direct sow in early spring or fall
Growing Guide
Soil: moist, rich · pH 6.0–7.0
Lettuce is a light feeder but prefers rich, moisture-retentive soil. Work in 2 inches of compost. Good drainage with consistent moisture is the goal — lettuce wilts fast in dry soil.
- Direct sow or transplant; romaine can tolerate light spring frost
- Sow ¼ inch deep; seeds need light to germinate — barely cover with soil
- Transplant at 3–4 weeks old for early heads
- Space romaine 10–12 inches apart — it needs room to form proper upright heads
- Sow successions every 2–3 weeks for continuous harvest spring through fall
- In summer, sow in partial shade to slow bolting
Care
💧 Water every 3 days
🌿 Fertilize every 21 days
📐 Spacing: 8 inches apart · 14 inches between rows
Recommended sub-rows: 3
Harvest & Storage
Ready in 70 days with a harvest window of 14 days.
- Harvest outer leaves continuously for 'cut and come again' harvest
- Harvest full heads when 8–10 inches tall and firm
- Cut at base in early morning when leaves are fully hydrated
- Once a heat bolt begins (stem elongates rapidly) flavor turns bitter — harvest immediately
Storage
Wrap loosely in a damp paper towel inside a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. Romaine keeps 7–10 days. Wash just before eating.
Companion Planting
Grows well with:
carrotradish
Essential Tools
- Garden scissors or sharp knife (harvesting)
- Shade cloth (extending season in summer heat)
Pests & Diseases
- Aphids: clusters on inner leaves — wash off with water, encourage ladybugs
- Slugs: irregular holes in leaves, especially in cool wet weather — iron phosphate bait is safe around edibles
- Lettuce mosaic virus: mottled, distorted leaves — remove and destroy; control aphid vectors