Caretaker (Lettuce/head/pelleted)

88 days. Wrapper leaves are long and moderately savoyed. Good texture and taste. Cap leaf provides protection from tip burn.
Pelleted seed. PVP

HEAD LETTUCE (Iceberg Types) fresh market

1/2 lb/0.23 kg per acre; oz./28 g contains about 20,000 seeds.

GREENHOUSE: Sow Extra Early crops in hotbeds or a cool greenhouse, from Feb. 15th. - Mar. 15th. Germinate @ 55°F/ 13°C soil temp (high soil temps of 80°F/27°C will delay germination). 1/4 lb./113 g of sized seed sown thinly @ 2 or 3 seeds per in./25 mm in flats should provide enough transplants for an acre. Press seed lightly into the soil surface and cover lightly with 1/8 - 1/4 in./3 - 6 mm. of fine soil. Some strains are quite light responsive and will germinate poorly if sown too deep. Grow seedlings, cool @ 60°F/16°C day and 40°F/4°C night temps. Transplant 14 days after germination into flats, spacing plants 2 in/5 cm apart - or into 2 1/4 in./6 mm peat pots. Lower growing temps. of transplants to 35 - 40°F/2 - 4°C for 7 days before moving plants into the field. (Remove sash gradually during the day). Properly hardened plants will stand temps. as low as 25°F/-4°C.

TRANSPLANT early plants into the field during Apr.; soak peat pots with a starter solution of 20 - 20 - 20 before transplanting. Space plants. 14 to 18 in./36 - 46 cm apart in rows 16 in./41 cm apart.

OUTDOOR SEEDING: Sow Early crops outdoors Apr. 1st. (seed germinates at low soil temps. of 45 - 55°F/7 - 13°C), 1/4 in./6 mm deep @ 2 seeds per in./25 mm; cover with fine soil and firm. Space in 16 or 18 in./41 - 46 cm. rows, thin to 12 in./31 cm-apart. Heads mature during July and Aug.

LATE CROP: Sow in late June or early July to mature just before frost. If plants are immature when the first frost hits - they will recover. Wrapper leaves of mature heads can be damaged by severe frosts.