Lettuce

Basic Information

Seed Number

81

Seed Name

Lettuce

Variety

Mesclun

Category

Vegetable

Plant Family

Asteraceae

Plant Type

Mixed baby salad greens

Planting Method

Direct Sow

Seed Status

In Seed Bank

Created

2026-08-14 00:50:34

Updated

2026-08-19 15:35:29

Planting Information

Start Planting Date

Apr 1

Last Recommended Planting Date

Sep 15

Plantable Months

April, May, June, July, August, September

Indoor Start

Not recorded

Direct Sow

Apr 1 – Sep 15

Transplant

Not Recommended

Indoor Start Weeks Before Frost

Not Recommended

Transplant Weeks After Frost

Not Recommended

Germination Days

2–10 days

Harvest/Maturity

Not recorded

Succession Planting

14 days

Growing Conditions

Ideal Soil Temperature

40-70°F for lettuce-dominant mixes

Planting Depth

1/4 in

Plant Spacing

3-5 seeds/in

Row Spacing

2+ in

Thin-To Spacing

Not recorded

Sun Requirements

Full sun to partial shade

Water Needs

Keep continuously moist for tender baby-leaf growth; typically about 1 in/week

Soil Preference

Fertile, loose, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil

Minimum Container Size

6-8 in deep

Plant Height

Not recorded

Perennial/Biennial Status

Annual

Container Friendly

Yes

Trellis/Support Needed

No

Frost Tolerant

Yes

Heat Tolerant

No

Drought Tolerant

No

Pollinator Friendly

No

Medicinal

No

Garden Uses

Companion Planting

Storage

Seed Source/Brand

MSU Extension; Detroit frost dates; Almanac Detroit

Packet Year

Not recorded

Quantity Notes

Not recorded

Purchase Date

Not recorded

Expiration Year

Not recorded

Storage Box

Not recorded

Container

Not recorded

Envelope

Not recorded

Row

Not recorded

Slot

Not recorded

Storage Notes

Not recorded

Notes

Original Planting Method: Direct sow or start indoors
Outdoor / Direct Sow / Transplant Window: Mar 25 – May 15; Aug 15 – Sep 10
Days to Harvest / Bloom: 30–60 days
Container Friendly: Yes, shallow containers
Medicinal / Herbal Use: Culinary
Succession / Reusable Notes: Use shade cloth in warm weather; fall planting is usually easier.
Zone 6B Notes: Can bolt in heat. Germination drops when soil is hot.
Companion Plants: Carrots, radish, onions, cucumbers, strawberries, calendula, nasturtiums
Avoid Planting Near / Watch Outs: Hot exposed beds in midsummer
Sources: MSU Extension: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/garden_planning_calendar | Detroit frost dates: https://www.ufseeds.com/vegetable-planting-calendar-detroit-michigan.html | Almanac Detroit: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar/MI/Detroit

[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT START]]
Zone 6B: Direct sow repeatedly during cool spring weather and again from late summer into fall. Summer sowing is possible only when temperatures remain suitable for the specific greens included in the mix.
Germination: Mesclun is a mixture rather than one species or cultivar, so a single reliable germination range cannot be assigned without the packet composition.
Harvest: Cut baby leaves when they reach usable salad size, leaving the growing points intact when possible for regrowth.
Seed Saving: Because commercial mesclun packets may contain several species and cultivars, saving seed will not reliably recreate the original commercial mixture.
Special Care: The exact species in the supplied Mesclun mix are unknown, so species-specific maturity, germination and mature height are intentionally null.
Research Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds — https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/baby-leaf/salad-mixes-key-growing-information.html — 1/4-inch depth, 3-5 seeds per inch, 2-inch row spacing and 2-week succession sowing for salad mixes
Research Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds — https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/lettuce/lettuce-key-growing-information.html — cool-temperature requirements for lettuce components
[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT END]]