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Home LETTUCE Merlot Lettuce

MERLOT

MERLOT

55 days. Striking, deep dark red, almost purple frilly leaves. A real eye-catcher in the garden and one of the darkest lettuces you can grow. The plant is nothing less than stunning. A very crisp and open-headed leaf type that stands upright with a waxy shine that makes an ideal salad lettuce at every stage. Very high in antioxidants and bitter-free. DM 1–6, LD.

  • Key Features:

ORGANIC SEED

$4.75

$4.75

  • Key Features:

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
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(3)
20%
(1)
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(1)
J
John M.
Merlot lettuce

Beautiful, delicate red lettuce. Germinates easily so long as the seeds are no more than 2 years old.

C
Carla
Gorgeous color and just keeps giving and giving

I started these inside and put them out fairly early for Montana Zone 5 on March 27. I was stunned by the color they developed in the cool weather. More interesting, was that they maintained the intensity of the color almost through to August. It's now August 9 and I am still harvesting from my first and second plantings- the color is a bit less intense but still really livens up a salad visually. The texture and flavor have been great all along. This will be the only red lettuce I plant for the rest of my life!

S
Sue
Gorgeous and delicious

I planted this lettuce along with Green Ice in my raised beds here in Vermont. Both grew beautifully! The leaves were large and curly and crisp and I had a very long growing period. In fact I was harvesting from my first planting well into the harvest of my second planting. I have just placed an order for more seeds to get me through the fall.

M
Michael
No issues

I didn't have any issues with this lettuce growing there in the Puget Sound region even through the dry months. I found that it was slightly slower growing than some of our other lettuces, but I thought it was a great addition to salads. The one thing that I'd mention is that ours remained rather small plants and never seemed to truly bolt, just kind of stopped growing in the heat of summer. Which was rather disappointing, because we like saving seed. As things heated up, the lettuce did become bitter, but I notice that that happens with a lot of lettuces growing in dry and hot conditions. It just meant that it was time to switch to something else for a little and replant.

12
Soil Temp for Germ 40–80°F
Seed Depth ⅛"
Seed Spacing 1"
Days to Emergence 2–15
Thin Plants to 10–16"
Row Spacing 16–18"
Fertilizer Needs Low
Minimum Germination 80%
Seeds per Gram ≈ 800
Seed Life 3 years

Lactuca sativa

Days to maturity are calculated from date of direct seeding.

Culture
• Lettuce performs best in cool weather, 60-70°F, and grows in a wide range of soil types
• Plant as early as soil can be worked
• For extended harvest, plant every 2-3 weeks and choose heat-tolerant varieties for summer
• Lettuce seed can be sown every month from February—October
• A cold frame and cold-hardy varieties can stretch the spring and fall growing season into the winter months
• Apply 1 cup of TSC's Complete fertilizer per 10 row feet, and 1 inch of compost
• 1 gram of seed will sow 30 row feet
• Consistent, even watering is critical for best results

Direct Sowing
• Use row cover to improve germination and prevent soil crusting
• As soon as 2-3 true leaves have formed, thin loose-leaf types to 10-14 inches apart; icebergs, butterheads, and romaines to 12-16 inches apart

Transplanting
• Start indoors 4-6 weeks before anticipated transplant date

Insects & Diseases
• Common pests: Aphids and slugs
• Pest control: Strong spray of water for aphids or applications of Pyrethrin or Neem oil, baits, traps, or Cabbage Collars for slugs

Harvest & Storage
• While picking individual leaves helps extend the season somewhat, all eventually become bitter as they begin to bolt

What is pelleted seed?
Seed that has been coated with a clay-based material to form a larger, round shape. This makes planting by hand or mechanical seeder easier and allows for more controlled sowing of small seeds such as carrots or lettuce. All pelleted seed has a National Organic Program (NOP) approved coating.
For best results, store pelleted seed in an air-tight container and use within one season.

What is seed tape?
Seed tapes are perfectly straight rows of precisely spaced crops. No more having to thin seedlings! This biodegradable tape will plant a row 5 meters (16 feet, 5 inches) long. Simply lay it in a furrow and cover with a light layer of sifted compost or soil, water and wait. Save yourself a heap of planting time with these popular vegetable and herb staples.

KEY TO LETTUCE DISEASE RESISTANCE AND TOLERANCE
HR indicates high resistance.
IR indicates intermediate resistance.
BR | Bottom Rot
DM* | Downy Mildew
F* | Fusarium Wilt
LD | Lettuce Drop
LMV* | Lettuce Mosaic Virus
Nr* | Lettuce Aphid
PM | Powdery Mildew
Rs | Corky Root
TBSV | Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus (Lettuce Dieback Complex)
* Numbers indicate specific disease race.

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