Summertime Crisphead Lettuce Seeds

Bring sweet crunch to summer salads and sandwiches with Summertime lettuce. This open-pollinated crisphead forms solid, round green heads with juicy leaves and a mild, sweet flavor. Bred by Dr. James Baggett at Oregon State University for warm-season production, it offers slower bolting than many traditional crisphead types while still benefiting from cool roots and consistent moisture.

Why Grow Summertime?

• Crisp, juicy leaves: A refreshing choice for chopped salads, sandwich layers, and lettuce wedges.
• Green heading type: Broad pale- to medium-green outer leaves surround a firm, paler heart.
• Slow-bolting selection: Developed for summer growing, but not immune to bolting, bitterness, or heat stress.
• Open-pollinated: A modern bred variety, not an F1 hybrid. Save seed with appropriate isolation and selection.

Planting and Growing

Direct sow in spring or start indoors approximately 3–4 weeks before your expected transplant date. Sow shallowly, about ⅛–¼ inch deep, and keep the seedbed evenly moist. Germination commonly takes 4–10 days under suitable conditions. Very warm soil can inhibit germination; start summer sowings in a cooler location rather than relying on heat tolerance at the seed stage.

Thin or transplant to approximately 12 inches apart, providing extra room where outer leaves become crowded. For square foot gardening, use 1 plant per sq ft (allow extra room for outer leaves). Choose fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, with afternoon shade where heat is intense. Water consistently without waterlogging and feed according to soil needs and fertilizer directions.

Make small successive sowings to stagger harvests. Time crops to avoid the most severe local heat where possible. Heat tolerance offers flexibility, not a guarantee of firm heads in every summer climate. Watch for slugs, aphids, and other leaf-feeding pests.

Harvest Details

Maturity: Approximately 65–80 days from sowing under favorable conditions; timing varies with weather and harvest size.
Type: Green crisphead, also called iceberg-type lettuce.
Flavor and texture: Mild, sweet, juicy, and crisp.
Growth habit: Low heading rosette with broad green outer leaves and a solid round head.
Best uses: Chopped salads, wedges, sandwiches, and fresh lettuce cups.
Botanical name: Lactuca sativa.
Seed type: Open-pollinated; cool-season annual crop.
Seeds per packet: Approximately 500+ seeds / 0.7 g; seed counts vary by lot.

Harvest when heads feel firm and full, before a flower stalk develops or eating quality declines. Cut at soil level in the cool morning, remove damaged outer leaves, and refrigerate promptly. Rinse before serving.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — open-pollinated seeds selected for your garden.