Roman salad.
Romaine lettuce varieties differ in the shape of an upwardly elongated head and are divided into two types: tightly binding and loosely binding heads. The leaves of the first group curl inward with their tips and form well bleached, strict head. The leaves of loosely binding heads are stiff, sweeter, tastier and less bitter than the leaves of other lettuce varieties. The color of the leaves is dark green or yellow-green, often with a red tinge. It is characterized by a high taste value and the content of provitamin A and vitamin B1, B2 i C. It is eaten raw or cooked similar to spinach.
Romaine lettuce has similar climatic requirements, soil and fertilizer for butter lettuce. Resistant to long days and higher temperatures, it does not strike seed shoots so quickly, so it is suitable for summer cultivation. It is best grown from seedlings. The seeds are sown from early April to late May, and even until the beginning of June. The seedling preparation period lasts approx 4 weeks. The seedlings are planted at a distance of 30 x 20 cm. The vegetation period lasts approx 3 months.
We only know one variety – Paris Green, which has an almost oval head, medium strict, quite big, well rolled up. The outer leaves are dark green with a strong gloss, fleshy, medium hard, juicy, sweet.
Rosette lettuce.
Rosette lettuce, also called leaf, only large leaf rosettes do not form heads. Its leaves grow side by side and form a rosette, from which, as they develop, they can be gradually removed for consumption. Yellow-green leaves, with a corrugated surface. Leaves facing the light take a brown-red shade. Even after breaking the seed shoot (approx. 50 cm) the leaves growing on it are tender and tasty. The rosette lettuce is suitable for growing during the summer months, it is sown directly into the ground (until mid-April) or planted from seedlings. Seeds are sown for seedlings from mid-February (for boxes). Row spacing every 30 cm, seedlings are planted in a row or plants are interrupted 20-25 cm. The rosette lettuce has soil and fertilization requirements, like head lettuces. It grows well in sunny places, sheltered. The seeds are sown from mid-February (for boxes) until mid-April (on the seedbed or directly into the ground).
Only the Kędzierzawa Żółta variety is cultivated in Poland, good for early field cultivation. It quickly knocks out seed shoots. Medium large leaves, with deeply indented and very wavy edges. Light yellowish-green leaves, delicate, very tasty.
Stalk lettuce – Cracow Głąbik.
Stalk lettuce, also known as asparagus lettuce or Cracow's Głąbik, because it was quite commonly cultivated in Kraków, in the initial period of growth, it creates a narrow rosette near the ground, the pointed leaves are dark green or green-brown. After the leaves are formed, the plants quickly knock out into inflorescence shoots. These shoots are fleshy in the lower part, thick, juicy and an edible part of this plant. These shoots should be harvested before lignification, that is, at the latest during the formation of flower buds. They are eaten raw or sour like cucumbers, or cooked, like asparagus.
This lettuce has lower soil requirements than other lettuces. Because it is sensitive to heat and drought, causing rapid lignification of the shoots, it is best grown in early spring or for harvesting in the fall. The seeds can be sown directly into the ground, on the seedbed, and for early spring production until the inspection in mid-March. For the autumn harvest, the seeds are sown in late June and early July. Głąbik is grown at a distance of 30-40X25-30 cm. The period from sowing to harvesting plants is 10-14 weeks. For the preparation of seedlings for planting 10 m2 required 0,3-0,4 g nasion. It is more advantageous to grow it from seedlings, because it does not strike the seed shoot so quickly and the seed shoot is thicker. Shoots upon reaching 20-25 cm, when they begin to form flower buds, cuts down, and then tears off the leaves and cuts into lengths 5-10 cm.