How to Grow Red Romaine
Lactuca sativa var. longifolia 'Red Romaine'
Red Romaine lettuce offers crisp, flavorful leaves in a vibrant hue that adds visual appeal to any garden salad. Gardeners prize this cool-season variety for its reliable growth and resistance to common issues like tip burn.
📷 Wikipedia: LettuceStarting Red Romaine: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Red Romaine is not usually started indoors.
Direct sow seeds outdoors rather than starting indoors, planting them 2 to 6 weeks before the last frost date.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 for optimal growth. Sow seeds directly outdoors 2 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost, as this cool-season crop tolerates light frosts well. Press seeds lightly into the soil surface at a depth of about 1/4 inch. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 10 days under these conditions.
Space plants 8 to 10 inches apart to ensure proper air circulation and head formation. While lettuce does not require support or trellising, keep the soil consistently moist with about one inch of water per week. Apply a light mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds, feeding lightly if growth slows.
Watch for aphids, cutworms, slugs, and flea beetles; use row covers or hand-picking to manage them early. Downy mildew, lettuce drop, and tip burn may appear, so ensure good airflow and avoid overhead watering. Harvest heads when they are firm and full, usually 70 to 80 days after sowing.
When to Plant Red Romaine
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | March – May | June – November |
| Zone 8 | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | January – March | April – December |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | March – December |
Companion Plants for Red Romaine
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies while potentially improving lettuce flavor
Deep roots don't compete with shallow lettuce roots, maximizes garden space
Deters aphids and other soft-bodied insects that damage lettuce
Natural pest deterrent against aphids, slugs, and other lettuce pests
Repels nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial predatory insects
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, drawing them away from lettuce
Quick-growing companion that helps break up soil and deters flea beetles
Similar growing requirements and can be succession planted together
✗ Keep away from
Large leaves create too much shade and compete for nutrients with lettuce
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit growth of lettuce and most vegetables
Tall growth creates excessive shade and roots release growth-inhibiting chemicals
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
