High Mowing Organic Seeds - Large, dark green butterhead for spring production.
Optima is a thick-leaved type, consistently producing perfect, dense heads. Its velvety texture and buttery flavor are sure to be a hit in every salad. Shows field resistance to downy mildew, lettuce mosaic virus, and bolting. Raw and pelleted seed.
Characteristics:
- Organic, non-GMO, and open-pollinated
- Nancy-type
- Uniform stand
Instructions - Choose cool, well-drained, loose soil with pH 6.2-6.8. Lettuce is sensitive to low pH. Use 50-75lbs Nitrogen/acre, ~150 Phosphorus, and Potassium/acre. Sidedress with N 3-4 weeks after planting. With transplanting, use 2 lbs/50 gallons starter fertilizer, 4-8oz per plant. Lettuce can be seeded in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Days to maturity are from direct seeding in spring conditions.
- Seeding Depth: 1/8”, seeds require a minimum amount of light for germination.
- Plant Spacing: Babyleaf – continuous band. Full size – 8-12”
- Row Spacing: Babyleaf - ¾” between bands, 16 rows/36” bed. Full size - 12-18” or 3 rows/36” bed, 5’ centers.
Harvest & Storage - Cut lettuce holds best when harvested in the morning and cooled rapidly. For salad mix or baby leaf production, harvest individual leaves when they reach the desired size or cut evenly across the bed making sure to stay above the growing tip. For a continuous harvest, sow lettuce every 3 weeks. Store just above freezing temperatures with 98% humidity.
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute seed vendors from time to time because of the availability
