Oak Leaf Lettuce: Planting, Harvesting & Co.

Growing oak leaf lettuce made easy: Our expert tips from planting to harvesting oak leaf lettuce with information on care and use.

Oak Leaf Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) stands out because of its bright colors and its particularly shaped leaves. Unfortunately, the tasty lettuce is not easy to grow. This is due to its soft leaves and its habit of shooting very early. So that you can still grow it successfully, we have put together everything you need to know about the oak leaf lettuce here: From the origin to various types of oak leaf lettuce, cultivation, care and harvesting of the oak leaf lettuce.

Oak leaf lettuce: origin and properties

Oak leaf lettuce belongs to the group of garden lettuce (Latuca sativa) and thus to the genus of lettuce plants (Lactuca) and to the daisy family ( Asteraceae). Other names for the oak leaf lettuce are oak leaf lettuce or American pickle lettuce. The leaves can be harvested not only as a whole head of lettuce, but also individually as a lettuce. Although this strain has not been around for long, it can now be found in almost every supermarket. This is due to the special appearance of the lettuce, but also to its unmistakable taste, which is reminiscent of young hazelnuts. In the garden, oak leaf lettuce offers a successful and colorful change from other leaf lettuce.

The oak leaf lettuce was first cultivated in Europe in the 20th century. Today the main growing areas are France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. The lettuce owes its name to the long, lobed leaves that are reminiscent of oak leaves. These can be green, reddish-brown or colorful - there is even yellow oak leaf lettuce. Oak leaf lettuce does not form firm, closed heads. Rather, it produces more or less solid rosettes of leaves. If the oak leaf lettuce is not harvested earlier, it will start to shoot from June to July and flower later.

Oak leaf lettuce varieties

Although the oak leaf lettuce hasn't been around that long, many different varieties have been developedbred. These differ mainly in the coloring of the leaves.

Recommended oak leaf lettuce varieties:

• ˈBijellaˈ: Particularly colorful variety; the leaves are reddish brown with a fresh green heart
• ˈBolchoïˈ: Forms red, wavy leaves; the heads are compact and open
• ˈNavaraˈ: This variety of oak leaf lettuce will add color to your garden because the leaves are both green and red
• ˈRadichettaˈ: Jagged, pointed, green leaves make the heads of this oak leaf lettuce look very special
• ˈRed Salad Bowlˈ: The classic oak leaf salad; forms light red, large, relatively loose heads
• ˈSalad Bowlˈ: A classic oak leaf lettuce in green; forms particularly large heads with lush green leaves
• ˈTillˈ: Green leaves with a light yellow heart and a pointed shape

You can find a comprehensive overview of numerous different types of lettuce here.

Buy oak leaf lettuce plants: You should pay attention to this

Oak leaf lettuce is easy to grow yourself or sow directly. The selection of different varieties when buying seeds is also very large. Good sources of supply are, for example, the online dealers Bingenheimer Saatgut or Dreschflegel. However, if you want to save time and work, you can buy pre-grown young plants in stores. So that you can enjoy your salads at home for as long as possible, you should consider a few points when buying them.

What should you look out for when buying oak leaf lettuce?

• Selection
• No broken, rotten leaves or stems
• No putrid odor from rootballs
• No signs of damage
• No signs of disease
• Plants from organic cultivation are usually more robust and free of chemicals

You can buy oak leaf lettuce plants at the weekly market, in nurseries, hardware stores or garden centers. You can also easily find what you are looking for on the Internet.

Plant oak leaf lettuce

In order for the cultivation of your oak leaf lettuce to be successful, the location, the right planting time and the correct planting procedure play an important role. We will go into all these points in detail in the following section.

We have also prepared detailed instructions for planting lettuce for you in our special article.

Where should onePlant oak leaf lettuce?

Eichlaubsalat can be grown both in the garden bed and in pots on the balcony or terrace. It loves a sunny to partially shaded location. Cultivation does not succeed in the shade. The lettuce with the wavy leaves prefers loose, well-drained soil that is high in humus and nutrients.

An overview of the right location for oak leaf lettuce:

• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Loose, well-drained soil
• High nutrient and humus content
• Can also be grown in a pot

Tip: In mixed cultures, oak leaf lettuce goes particularly well with fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana ), Radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus), Dill (Anethum graveolens) , rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), other lettuce (Lactuca sativa) or tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) . Chervil (Anthriscus) can prevent the infestation of mildew, snails and flea beetles in lettuce and is therefore also a welcome bed neighbor. Cultivation with parsley is unfavorable (Petroselinum crispum ssp. crispum).

When should you plant oak leaf lettuce?

Oak Leaf Lettuce can be grown over a very long period of the year. You can start growing on the windowsill as early as the beginning of March. For sowing outdoors you have to be a little more patient, this is possible from mid-March. Young plants that have already been brought forward or bought can be planted outdoors from April to September.

Overview of the time to plant oak leaf lettuce:

• Advance from the beginning of March
• Direct sowing outdoors from mid-April
• Planting: April - September

Instructions: growing oak leaf lettuce

The first step to planting or seeding your oak leaf is bed preparation. To do this, loosen the soil thoroughly and remove any stones or weeds. Then enrich the soil with a dose of compost or a slow release organic fertilizer. For this we recommend our Plantura organic universal fertilizer, which is ideal for growing lettuce.

For sowing, create seed furrows at a row spacing of 25 and 30 centimetres. Since salads are light germinators, shouldthe grooves should not be too deep - 0.5 to one centimeter is sufficient - and the seed must not be covered with too much soil. Now water the seeds well. Oak leaf lettuce needs moderate, not too warm temperatures to germinate. It should be 10 to 15 °C, but never over 20 °C. At the right temperature, the seed usually germinates within a week.

After opening, the seedlings are separated. The same planting distance must be observed here as when planting young plants: this is 30 centimetres. When planting young seedlings, you should also be careful not to plant them too deep in the ground. The stalk should still be sticking out of the ground after planting. Planting too deeply will harm the growth of the lettuce plant.

Growing oak leaf lettuce at a glance:

• Loosen up the bed well
• Amend the soil with compost or a slow acting organic fertilizer
• Create seed furrows
• Seed depth: 0.5 - 1 cm
• Row spacing: 25 - 30 cm
• Cover seed lightly with soil
• Cast on
• Germination temperature: 10 - 15 °C
• Germination period: 7 - 10 days
• Separate after rising
• Planting distance: 30 cm
• Do not plant young plants too deep

Care for oak leaf lettuce: water and fertilize properly

Watering is a very important point when growing lettuce - and oak leaf lettuce also needs plenty of water. Therefore, water your lettuce regularly, especially on hot summer days.
Fertilization is not a critical factor in oak leaf cultivation. If you have done a basic fertilization with compost or our Plantura organic universal fertilizer when planting, the lettuce is optimally and sufficiently supplied with nutrients. He no longer needs any more fertilizer.

Protection against snails and weeds is more important in the further course of the cultivation period. Unfortunately, snails in particular are often uninvited pests in the garden, and they don't shy away from your salad. Therefore, you should collect or fight them regularly. Regular chopping and piling up of the somewhat larger heads of lettuce is a good way to combat weeds.

Oak leaf lettuce care at a glance:

• Water regularly
• After green manuring, no more fertilizer when planting
• Protect from snails
• Chop regularly andpile up

Increase oak leaf lettuce

Oak leaf lettuce can - like other lettuce - be propagated by seeds. For this you do not harvest some lettuce plants, but leave them on the bed until they bloom. After two to three weeks, small, filigree seeds develop from the flowers, which can be collected in a container by tapping them off. After that, the seed has to dry, for which a small fabric bag is suitable. If the seeds have dried after a week, you can clean them and sort out all parts of the plant and foreign objects that are not seeds. The cleaned seeds are then placed in a paper bag and labeled. Oak leaf lettuce seeds can be stored for up to three years in a cool, dark and dry place.

Propagation of oak leaf lettuce at a glance:

• Do not harvest some lettuce plants, leave them there
• The selected lettuce plants must flower
• 2 - 3 weeks after flowering the seeds are ready for harvest
• Harvest seeds by tapping them into a jar
• Dry in a cloth bag
• Clean seed
• Keep in a dry and cool place

Tip: Propagating your own lettuce is very time-consuming and tedious. If you want to save yourself this work, you can leave it to professionals and buy oak leaf lettuce seeds.

Harvest and store oak leaf lettuce

You can harvest your first oak leaf lettuce six to seven weeks after sowing. You have the choice of harvesting the whole lettuce at once or just a few leaves. To cut the whole lettuce, take a sharp knife and cut off the core just above the bottom. Another method is to turn the lettuce with the roots out of the ground. If you prefer to harvest your oak leaf lettuce as a lettuce, select the largest leaves and harvest from the outside in. The heart of lettuce in the middle remains - so new leaves keep growing.

Once harvested, the soft leaves of the oak leaf lettuce cannot be stored for very long. It is best if you always harvest your lettuce as needed and use it immediately. For storage, we recommend wrapping the salad in a damp tea towel and storing it in the crisper of the fridge. This is how the oak leaf salad leaves twostore for up to three days.

Tip: If the leaves of the lettuce have become a bit limp during storage, you can cut the stalk crosswise and let the whole lettuce swim in cold water. This will make the leaves crisper again.

Harvesting and storing oak leaf lettuce at a glance:

• Harvest: 6 - 7 weeks after sowing
• Cut off whole heads with a sharp knife at the stalk just above the ground
• Or harvest individual lettuce leaves from the outside in
• Best eaten fresh right away
• Can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days

We have explained in detail how to harvest lettuce professionally in our special article on lettuce harvest.

Oak leaf lettuce: ingredients and use

Oak leaf lettuce is low in calories and full of good ingredients.

100 grams of fresh oak leaf lettuce contains on average:

• 11 calories
• 1.6g Dietary Fiber
• 13 mg Vitamin C
• 224 mg Potassium
• 60 mg Calcium
• 11mg Magnesium

With oak leaf lettuce you can try out a wide variety of recipes to your heart's content. The nutty taste of the salad is best enjoyed when it is enjoyed pure and only lightly seasoned. But oak leaf lettuce also tastes very good mixed with other types of lettuce and various vegetables. It can also be used to garnish other foods, on bread or sandwiches, or in green smoothies.

Tip: Since the oak leaf lettuce collapses very quickly, it will stay fresher longer if you wash and arrange it just before serving and add the dressing at the last minute spread over it.