Lactuca sativa var. longifolia
Romaine lettuce, Brussels chicory, ribbed lettuce, green market-garden romaine: this is the oldest cultivated lettuce, known to the Egyptians and later brought to Rome, hence its name. Its upright habit and broad, crunchy central ribs make it a salad in a class of its own — it is this lettuce, and this lettuce alone, that makes a true Caesar salad.
Characteristics:
-
Upright habit: elongated leaves forming a tall head, with a broad, crunchy central rib.
-
Double texture: firm, crunchy ribs and tender leaf blade — two pleasures in a single leaf.
-
Heritage variety: the oldest cultivated lettuce, valued by market gardeners.
-
Flexible cultivation: outdoors, under a cold frame or in a tunnel, depending on the season.
Sowing advice:
-
Exposure: full sun for the first spring sowings, partial shade in summer: like all lettuces, heat and long days trigger bolting.
-
Soil: cool, loose, humus-rich and well drained, enriched with compost. Consistent soil moisture is essential: drying out causes the lettuce to bolt and become bitter.
-
Method: sow barely covered, as the seeds need light to germinate. From March to May, sow successively every two weeks, then sow again at the end of summer. Warning: above 25°C, lettuce seeds enter dormancy and will no longer germinate — sow in the shade or at the end of the day during hot weather. See how to sow your seeds.
Planting advice:
- Transplant at the 4- or 5-leaf stage, spacing plants 30 cm apart, without burying the crown: this is the main cause of rot in young lettuces.
Care advice:
- Water regularly at the base in the morning, without wetting the foliage. Mulch to retain moisture.
-
The market gardeners' tip: about ten days before harvest, tie the leaves together with a soft tie. Deprived of light, the heart blanches, becomes more tender and loses its bitterness.
Harvest advice:
- Cut the head at ground level when it is well formed and firm. Do not wait: as soon as the center begins to rise, bolting is under way.
- Leave the stump in the ground; it often produces a few tender regrowths.
Beneficial companions:
Benefits for biodiversity:
- Let one plant bolt at the end of the season: its small yellow flowers attract hoverflies and solitary bees, while its seeds feed goldfinches.
- Its rapid growth helps keep the soil covered between two main crops.
Uses:
- Caesar salad owes everything to it: its crunchy ribs hold the dressing without wilting. It is also excellent grilled on a plancha, cut in half — a surprising preparation that works exceptionally well.
Harvesting your own seeds:
Let a fine plant bolt: it will produce a tall flower stalk followed by crowned achenes, which should be harvested as they reach maturity in stages. Since lettuce is self-pollinating, crosses are rare — making it an ideal species for beginners in seed production. See how to save your seeds.
Commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for all living things as our guiding principle. Based near the Volcanoes of Auvergne, we choose open-pollinated, non-hybrid varieties, test them for germination rates, and carefully sort and package them, without any chemical treatment. Our conviction: to give gardeners back the ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.
Caesar's lettuce, the oldest and crunchiest of them all.
