Batavia lettuce is not difficult to grow: With our expert tips for planting and caring for it, you are guaranteed to have a rich Batavia lettuce harvest.
Batavia lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) brings variety to the garden and to the plate. The lettuce with the special leaves and the different colors is a change from more well-known types of lettuce. In this article, we will tell you how you can grow the ruffled lettuce at home. Here you can find out everything about the origin, the different varieties, cultivation, care and harvest of Batavia lettuce.
Origin and characteristics of Batavia lettuce
Batavia lettuce belongs to the so-called crisphead group of garden lettuce. These include iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispum) and oak leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa). All three belong to the genus of lettuce (Lactuca) and thus to the daisy family (Asteraceae). In terms of appearance and leaf texture, Batavia is also a mixture of iceberg lettuce and oak leaf lettuce. In terms of taste, the Batavia lettuce is very diverse, some varieties taste hearty and strong, while others are very mild.
The Batavia is not very demanding in cultivation and almost always succeeds in the garden or in a pot. It is also particularly popular as a cut or picking lettuce. It also copes well with rather poor weather conditions and therefore always gives you a rich harvest of crisp, fresh lettuce.
Batavia lettuce originally comes from France. It was first bred there and is still grown today in the warmer climate there. It is a herbaceous plant that grows as a basal leaf rosette. It is these rosette leaves that we value so much as lettuce leaves. The leaves of Batavia can be green, reddish to reddish-brown, or have green and red patterns. The distinguishing feature of the Batavia is the shape and structure of its leaves: these are sometimes more, sometimes less, crinkled and sometimes blistered. Some strains develop firm heads, while others only develop loose leaves. In summerthe Batavia lettuce starts to shoot, which means that the plant develops an inflorescence in the middle. This produces yellow flowers, from which small, filigree seeds later grow.
Batavia lettuce varieties
The different varieties of Batavia lettuce are varied and colourful.
Recommended Batavia lettuce varieties for cultivation:
- ˈAmerican Brownerˈ: This Batavia variety has leaves that are brown-red on the outside and green on the inside, delicately wavy
- ˈDorée de printempsˈ: Has green leaves that are wavy and blistered on the outside
- ˈSaragossaˈ: This variety of Batavia lettuce has green leaves that turn slightly red towards the edges; however, it does not form solid heads
- ˈSolasieˈ: Rich light green leaves that are heavily ruffled and blistered
- ˈKamalinaˈ: Heavily curled, reddish leaves
- ˈTarengoˈ: This Batavia variety has red-green leaves that are slightly blistered
You can find even more types of lettuce in our special article.
Buy Batavia lettuce plants: You should pay attention to this
When buying young lettuce plants, you should first decide on a variety. This will determine the color and shape of the lettuce leaves you will harvest. The appearance and he alth of the plants are also important. Do the lettuce plants make a vital and he althy impression? Are the leaves undamaged? Don't I see any signs of pests or diseases on the lettuce? If you can answer all of these questions with yes, then nothing stands in the way of buying Batavia lettuce plants. It is also a plus if the young plants come from organic farming. They have not been treated with chemicals and are usually more resistant.
What should you look out for when buying Batavia lettuce plants?
- Selection
- Undamaged leaves and stems
- Vital Impression
- Free from disease and pests
- Ideally from organic farming
You can find lettuce plants that have already been grown in many nurseries, at the weekly market or in hardware stores and garden centers. If you want to go easy on your wallet and take the time to do so, you can also grow seedlings yourself. When buying seeds, you usually have a larger selection in terms of varieties. Good sources for ordering Batavia seeds on the Internet are, for example, the online retailers Bingenheimer Saatgut or Dreschflegel.
Grow Batavia Lettuce
Batavia lettuce is very easy to grow yourself. Of course, the right location and the right approach to planting play an important role here. But the time of planting is also crucial.
When should you grow Batavia lettuce?
You can start growing Batavia lettuce as early as the end of February. Sowing outdoors and planting young plants you have grown yourself or bought can then take place from mid-March. Until the end of July you can still sow and plant out Batavia to harvest fresh lettuce well into autumn.
An overview of the right time to plant Batavia lettuce:
- Preference from the end of February
- Planting or sowing outdoors from mid-March to the end of July
- Harvest from mid-May to mid-October
We have prepared detailed instructions for planting lettuce for you here.
The right location for batavia lettuce
Batavia lettuce likes other types of lettuce in a sunny to partially shaded spot. In a completely shady location, its cultivation will not succeed. The soil for the curly lettuce should be moist but not wet. Waterlogging is nothing for the Batavia lettuce. It also likes loose, well-drained soil with a high humus and nutrient content.
What is the ideal location to grow Batavia lettuce?
- Sunny to semi-shady location
- Damp but not wet
- Loose, well-drained soil
- Soil rich in nutrients and humus
Tip: Good bed neighbors for a mixed culture with Batavia lettuce are strawberries (Fragaria), carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) or radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus). Less suitable are celery (Apium graveolens) or parsley (Petroselinum crispum ssp. crispum).
Instructions: growing batavia lettuce
Batavia lettuce can be grown early or sowed directly into the bed - both are promising. It can be grown in the garden bed, in a window box or in a pot on the patio.
Start by preparing the bed by loosening the soil and removing all stones and weeds. Then you carry out a so-called basic fertilization, which means that you supply the soil with nutrients before planting. For this purpose, compost or aFertilizer with organic long-term effect. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer not only gently releases the nutrients to the plant, but also ensures a better soil structure and supports soil life.
Now create seed furrows with a depth of 0.5 to one centimeter at a distance of 25 to 30 centimeters. This is where the seeds are placed. Lettuce germinates in the light and should therefore only be lightly covered with soil. Then water the seed. At temperatures between 10 and 15 °C, the lettuce should rise within 10 to 14 days. At temperatures above 20 °C, lettuce will no longer germinate.
After opening, the young plants are separated. The planting distance here is 25 to 30 centimetres. Early or purchased young plants are also planted at this distance. When planting, it is also important that the seedlings are not planted too deep in the ground, otherwise the lettuce will not develop well. As a rule of thumb, you should only plant the young plants so deep that the entire stem is still above ground.
How is batavia lettuce grown?
- Loosen the soil well
- Amend with compost or a slow acting organic fertilizer
- Create plant grooves
- Seed depth: 0.5 - 1 cm
- Row spacing: 25 - 30 cm
- Place seeds in the grooves
- Cast on
- Germination temperature: 10 - 15 °C, max. 18 °C
- Separate after rising
- Planting distance: 25 - 30 cm
- Insert young plants so deep that the entire stem is above ground
Caring for Batavia lettuce: the right watering and fertilizing
Caring for the lettuce includes correct watering and fertilizing as well as weed control and protection against snails. Water your Batavia regularly, especially after emergence and on hot summer days. If a basic fertilization with compost or our Plantura organic universal fertilizer with organic long-term effect has been carried out before planting, you do not need to fertilize your lettuce again. In order for the lettuce to develop well, however, you should regularly remove the weeds in the bed.
Alternatively, chop and pile up the lettuce regularly. This not only removes weeds, but also loosens the soil, which promotes mineralization and the soil's water absorption capacity.
Note: Just after planting, your lettuce will become a treat for snails.It is therefore important to regularly collect and fight the snails.
Batavia lettuce care at a glance:
- Water regularly
- After basic fertilization, no further fertilizer application
- Remove weeds
- Chop and heap regularly
- Collect or fight snails
Propagating Batavia lettuce
Seed-firm Batavia lettuce varieties can be propagated by seeds. However, this is time-consuming and laborious for the tiny seeds. It is therefore easier to buy new seeds every year. If you still want to collect your own seeds, leave a few lettuce plants in the bed until the lettuce shoots and blooms. Seeds fully mature within 12 to 24 days after flowering. The best way to collect the seeds is to tap the buds into a container. The seeds turn out well. The seeds can then dry in a cloth bag. Label the cleaned seed and store in a cool, dry place. It remains germinable for up to three years and can be used to sow new lettuce.
How is Batavia lettuce propagated?
- Leave some Batavia lettuce plants in bloom
- Seeds are ready 12 - 24 days after flowering
- Kick the seeds into a container
- Dry in a cloth bag
- Clean seed
- Store in a cool, dry place
- Seeds remain germinable for up to 3 years
Harvest and store Batavia lettuce
Batavia lettuce shoots very rarely and can therefore be harvested well into October. You can bring in your first lettuce just eight weeks after sowing. Usually the whole heads of lettuce are harvested. To do this, use a sharp knife and cut off the head with the stalk just above the ground. Alternatively, you can also turn the whole lettuce out by the root.
Another possibility is to harvest the Batavia lettuce as a lettuce. The whole head is not harvested at once, but only individual leaves, according to your personal needs.
You can read here how to harvest your Batavia lettuce as a lettuce.
Because of its crisp, firm leaves, Batavia lettuce can be stored a little longer than other lettuce. Of course, it tastes best freshly harvested, but if you want to store your salad a bit, that's no problempossible. Wrapped in a damp tea towel in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, the Batavia will keep for four to five days.
Overview of harvesting and storing Batavia lettuce:
- Harvest from 8 weeks after sowing
- Harvest whole heads by cutting off the stalk just above the ground
- Alternatively turn out whole heads with root
- Batavia can also be harvested as lettuce
- Wrap in a damp tea towel after harvest
- Store in the crisper of the refrigerator; stays fresh for 4 - 5 days
You can find out everything you need to know about harvesting lettuce properly in our special article on the subject here.
Batavia lettuce: ingredients and use
Like other types of lettuce, Batavia lettuce is very low in calories. 100 grams of fresh lettuce contain just 21 kilocalories. This is of course due to the high water content of the leaves. Compared to other vegetables, salads contain fewer minerals and vitamins, but they can score with a high fiber content. And some vitamin C, calcium and potassium as well as folic acid are also contained in Batavia lettuce.
Batavia is particularly suitable as a basis for fresh salads. A simple vinegar and oil dressing is enough to create a delicious side dish. But of course there are no limits when it comes to preparing salads. Batavia also tastes good mixed with other salads, fresh vegetables or fruit. Due to its beautiful colour, it is also ideal for garnishing and decorating dishes. And as a he althy snack on the go, a green smoothie with Batavia lettuce is ideal.
