Carol

Carol, that sounds like a great way to do it and nice that they will overwinter for you. I doubt I’d get that here in zone 6, but maybe with a cold frame. Nice idea, I’ll look for those seeds.

Wayne, we just built new beds and refilled them, so I don’t think my soil is quite where it needs to be yet, so maybe that’s the problem. I will try them again in the fall.

Thanks!

Zeuspaul

The Lollos are picky picky. Not your fault.

The Johnny's "all lettuce mix" appears to have three reds -- a very dark leaf lettuce, red oak leaf, and a red romaine. There is a frisee type green lettuce (or endive) in the mix that is quite nice, too, along with several green lettuces. I've enjoyed growing this mix more than some others I've tried, mostly for the strong reds.

Planatus, thanks, both of those suggestions sound good, the red oak leaf, because I do like something that is slow to bolt and the Mix from Johnny's because I've tried mixes before that I didn't like and it will be good to try one that someone else has been happy with.

Here are a couple of sources

http://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-non-gmo-seeds-galactic-lettuce.html

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search.php?search=merlot&item=2789&index=1

Here is the description fecoseeds has:

2789MO Merlot Lettuce OG (32 days baby, 60 mature) Open-pollinated. William Woys Weaver correctly predicted that this lettuce would become a classic. Always a standout in our trials, its intense burgundy color the richest we have ever seen. The Dutch company who bred it named it Galactic, but Cook’s Garden trumped them by calling it Merlot. This merlot adds as much to your baby salad mix as a good wine adds to your dinner, providing incredible color, excitement and full-bodied flavor. Slow to grow, slow to bolt, plants never achieve much size or density, but are ideal for the baby leaf trade. Not for mature-head production, so may be spaced more closely than other varieties. According to Mountain Dell Farms (growing at 1400' in the Catskills), can stand outside temperatures to 14° when double-covered under Agribon 19. Showed good resistance to bottom rot this past challenging season. Germinates poorly in warm temperatures. Resistant to X, DM, SC and TB. OT, CCOF-certified.

Since we're on the subject, too warm for lettuce now, but do you grow a fall crop, do you start seeds indoors or direct sow and when do you plant outside for a fall crop?

Here is some of what Specialty Produce has to say about Sierra health benefits.

Red Batavia lettuces include Pasquier, Polonaise, Rouge Grenobloise, Rustica and Sierra. Sierra lettuce benefits from both its Batavian heritage and its anthocyanin content. The level of anthocyanins in any food plant increase its red coloring, its nutritional value and its perceived value as studies prove that persons respond more favorably to red colored fruits and vegetables.

...................Because of Sierra lettuce's substantial levels of anthocyanins, it contains health boosting antioxidants. Anthocyanins have some of the strongest physiological effects of any plant compounds. Anthocyanins' health benefits include anti-flammatory and anti cancer properties as well as diabetes preventative qualities.