Summertime Lettuce Seeds

Summertime Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a premium heat-tolerant looseleaf lettuce variety developed to produce crisp, flavorful leaves long after many traditional lettuces have begun to bolt. True to its name, Summertime thrives during the warmer months of the growing season, maintaining excellent texture, slow bolting characteristics, and attractive bright green foliage. Gardeners appreciate its dependable performance during late spring and summer, when finding quality lettuce can often be a challenge. With its vigorous growth, repeated harvest potential, and refreshing flavor, Summertime has become a favorite for home gardens and market growers alike.

Introduction

Growing lettuce through warm weather can be difficult, but Summertime was bred specifically to overcome that challenge. This attractive looseleaf variety produces large, upright rosettes of crisp, tender leaves that remain mild and slow to become bitter even as temperatures rise. Rather than harvesting the entire plant at once, gardeners can repeatedly pick outer leaves over many weeks, allowing continuous production from a single planting.

Why Grow Summertime Lettuce?

• Excellent heat tolerance for extended harvests.
• Slow to bolt during warm weather.
• Crisp, tender leaves with mild flavor.
• Produces abundant harvests over a long season.
• Ideal for cut-and-come-again harvesting.
• Performs well in raised beds and containers.
• Suitable for spring, summer, and early fall planting.
• Beautiful bright green foliage.
• Easy to grow for gardeners of all skill levels.
• Outstanding home garden and market variety.

Flavor Profile

Summertime offers a clean, mild lettuce flavor with just a hint of sweetness and very little bitterness, even during warmer weather. The leaves are crisp and refreshing with a pleasant texture that makes them perfect for fresh salads and sandwiches. Proper watering and regular harvesting help maintain their outstanding eating quality throughout the growing season.

Growing Information

Summertime grows best in fertile, well-drained soil with consistent moisture and full sun to partial afternoon shade in hotter climates. Sow seeds directly outdoors every few weeks for continuous harvests throughout the growing season. While exceptionally heat tolerant, providing afternoon shade during periods of extreme summer heat can further extend production.

• Botanical Name: Lactuca sativa
• Plant Type: Cool-season annual leafy vegetable
• Days to Maturity: 45–55 days
• Plant Height: 10–14 inches
• Plant Spread: 10–12 inches
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Rich, fertile, well-drained soil
• Spacing: 8–10 inches between plants
• Water: Consistent moisture for tender leaves

Harvest outer leaves as needed while allowing the center to continue producing. Successive sowings every two to three weeks will provide fresh lettuce throughout much of the growing season.

Harvest & Storage

Begin harvesting young outer leaves once plants become well established, or cut entire plants when mature. Morning harvests provide the crispest leaves. Fresh lettuce stores best in the refrigerator inside a sealed container or plastic bag and is ideally enjoyed within several days for maximum freshness and flavor.

Seedman Notes

Summertime has become one of our favorite warm-season lettuce varieties because it continues producing crisp, flavorful leaves when many other lettuces have already become bitter or bolted. Its combination of heat tolerance, slow bolting, and dependable productivity makes it an excellent choice for gardeners who want fresh homegrown salads well into the summer months. Plant successive crops for an almost continuous supply of delicious lettuce throughout the growing season.

Quick Facts