How to Grow Red Leaf Lettuce
Amaranthus tricolor
Red Leaf Lettuce offers vibrant foliage perfect for salads and garnishes. Gardeners prize its ease of growth and tolerance to light frosts, making it an excellent choice for early spring or late autumn harvests in various climates.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Red Leaf Lettuce: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Red Leaf Lettuce is not usually started indoors.
This plant is best direct-sown outdoors rather than started indoors and transplanted.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors 2-6 weeks before the last frost date. Press seeds lightly into the soil at a depth of about 1/4 inch. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 10 days under consistent moisture.
Space plants 6 to 8 inches apart to ensure proper air circulation. While this variety does not require trellising, keep soil consistently moist with about 1 inch of water weekly. Apply a light mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds without smothering the shallow roots.
Watch for aphids, slugs, flea beetles, and cutworms; use hand-picking or row covers for control. Prevent downy mildew and tipburn by avoiding overhead watering and ensuring good airflow. Harvest tender leaves when plants reach maturity in about 50 days after sowing.
When to Plant Red Leaf Lettuce
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | — | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Red Leaf Lettuce
✓ Good companions
Deep roots don't compete with shallow lettuce roots, helps break up soil
Repels aphids and other pests while improving lettuce flavor
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs that control aphids on lettuce
Natural pest deterrent against aphids, slugs, and other lettuce pests
Deters aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes that attack lettuce
Acts as trap crop for aphids and adds beneficial insects to garden
Quick growth helps break up soil and repels flea beetles
Similar growing requirements and provides mutual shade in hot weather
✗ Keep away from
Large leaves create too much shade and compete for nutrients
Strong allelopathic effects inhibit growth of lettuce and most vegetables
Allelopathic compounds inhibit lettuce growth and development
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
