About this variety
Product Overview: Salad Bowl is a green loose-leaf cultivar of Lactuca sativa. It grows as an open rosette rather than a dense crisphead or upright romaine head. Horticultural references describe Salad Bowl as an oak-leaf-type lettuce with lobed green leaves. This packet contains 100 seeds for planting in garden beds, raised beds, or containers.
- Botanical name: Lactuca sativa
- Family: Asteraceae
- Market class: Green loose-leaf / oak-leaf-type lettuce
- Packet quantity: 100 seeds
- Supplied as: Seeds only; no live plant, pot, or growing medium is included
About Salad Bowl Lettuce
Salad Bowl is a named lettuce cultivar developed within the USDA lettuce-breeding program and is commonly listed with leaf lettuces rather than romaine, butterhead, or crisphead types. Cornell's Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners records it as a loose-leaf cultivar and notes that Green Salad Bowl is another name used for it. The characteristic leaf shape is described as wavy, notched, and oak-like. Colour, growth rate, and final size can still vary with weather, soil, spacing, and harvest stage.
Growing from Seed
When to sow: Lettuce is a cool-season crop. Utah State University Extension recommends sowing once soil is workable and notes that seed can germinate from about 4°C / 40°F, with the best germination around 13-18°C / 55-65°F. Soil temperatures above about 27°C / 80°F can reduce germination. Choose a locally suitable cool period so plants can establish before sustained heat.
Sowing depth: Prepare a fine, level seedbed and sow approximately 6-12 mm / 1/4-1/2 inch deep. Cover lightly and water gently so the small seeds are not displaced. Maintain even surface moisture through germination without keeping the soil saturated.
Spacing: Thin seedlings after true leaves appear. For young leaf production, plants may be maintained at closer spacing; Illinois Extension uses about 10 seeds per foot followed by thinning leaf lettuce to roughly 10 cm / 4 inches. For fuller individual rosettes, allow approximately 20-30 cm / 8-12 inches between plants. Rows can be about 30-45 cm / 12-18 inches apart.
Light, soil, and water: Use fertile, well-drained soil with regular moisture. Full sun is suitable during cool weather, while light afternoon shade can help where conditions become warm. Lettuce has shallow roots, so cultivate carefully and water often enough to avoid drought stress. Good spacing and watering at soil level can also improve airflow and keep foliage drier.
Harvest
Leaf lettuce can be harvested after usable leaves form and before a seed stalk develops. Pick clean outer leaves while leaving the centre to continue growing, or cut the whole plant when it reaches the size you prefer. Harvest in the cooler part of the day for best leaf condition. Wash leaves thoroughly under clean running water before use. Repeat harvest performance depends on plant health and how much growing tissue remains.
What You Receive: One labelled packet containing 100 Salad Bowl Lettuce seeds. This product contains seeds only, not plants, soil, containers, or harvested leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salad Bowl a romaine lettuce?
No. Authoritative horticultural references place Salad Bowl in the loose-leaf group. It forms an open green rosette with lobed leaves rather than the tall, upright head typical of romaine lettuce.
Can I grow it in a container?
Yes. Leaf lettuce can grow well in containers that have drainage holes and enough surface area for the chosen spacing. Keep container mix evenly moist because pots dry faster than garden soil.
Why did my lettuce seed germinate poorly in hot weather?
High soil temperatures can suppress lettuce germination. Sow during a cooler local season, keep the seedbed evenly moist, and consider light shade during unusually warm conditions.
