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the head off at ground level. Crisphead, butterhead, and Romaine lettuces are usually harvested this way.

For continuous harvest, though, consider what's called the cut-and-come-again method. For this method, cut or pick the outer leaves, letting the tender inner leaves grow. This extends the lettuce harvest, and allows the gardener to cut only what is needed for a meal. All lettuces except crisphead can be harvested this way. Looseleaf lettuce is especially suitable for this method.

For mesclun, which is a mix of baby lettuce, sow a wide row thickly with a mixture of lettuce seeds. Clip with scissors when the lettuce is about 3 or 4 inches tall.

TYPES OF LETTUCE
Lettuce comes in many more varieties than the flavorless iceberg that most Americans have grown up with. Different varieties have different textures and flavors, so try several in your garden.

Romaine (or Cos): Deep-green, nutritious Romaine is slowly taking the place of Iceberg in American restaurants. Its firm, crispy texture holds up to the heavy, creamy dressings that many Americans favor, making it a good replacement for iceberg. The leaves are elongated and grow upright. Their dark color is due to the presence of many phytochemicals with healthful properties. Both green and bright red varieties or Romaine are available.

Butterhead: Tender, crunchy butterhead gets its name from the slightly buttery feel of the leaves. The flavor is delicate, and with its tender texture, butterhead is suited for light vinaigrette dressings. It mixes well with Romaine for a crunchier salad, and is terrific on sandwiches.

Looseleaf lettuce: These lettuces don't form distinct heads. Instead, the ruffled leaves form a wide rosette. Looseleaf varieties come in red, green, and bicolored forms, and are great for cut-and-come-again harvesting.

Crisphead lettuce: The classic iceberg is a crisphead lettuce. These lettuces form a tight head made up of thick, crispy leaves. Garden grown crisphead is flavorful and often more tender than iceberg.

French Crisp (Batavia) lettuce: These varieties have the firm texture of Romaine, but the form of a loose leaf lettuce. They're excellent for cut-and-come-again harvest.

Learn more about this author, Karen Bledsoe.
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