Little Gem, Lettuce Seeds

Little Gem Lettuce Seed

Fist-size romaine heads deliver surprising crunch and sweetness
Compact plants fit raised beds and containers
Tender hearts suit individual portions beautifully
A restaurant favorite for grilling and salads

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Lactuca sativa

Days to maturity

40 Days

Sun

Partial

Packet

500 Seeds

About Little Gem, Lettuce Seed, Lettuce Seed

Little Gem is a compact Romaine-type lettuce with tender, crisp leaves and a sweet, mild flavor. Its fist-sized heads form tightly packed, bright green rosettes that combine Romaine crunch with Butterhead-like sweetness. The small heads are ideal for individual salads, sandwiches, garnishes, or grilling. Plants perform well in cool conditions, prefer fertile, well-drained soil, and tolerate partial shade when temperatures rise. Regular watering supports crisp growth, while good drainage helps prevent waterlogging. Its compact habit also makes Little Gem an excellent choice for containers, small gardens, and urban spaces.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/8"

Days to Germination

2–10 days

In-row plant spacing

6-12"

Row Spacing

12-18"

Plant profile

Maturity

Spring, Fall

Life Cycle

Annual

Plant Height

12 inches

Growth Habits

Compact, Rosette

Type

ROMAINE LETTUCE (COS)

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

28,125

Color

Green

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Growing Season

Cool-Season Crop

Before Planting

Prepare for Lettuce by selecting a full-sun location in cool weather or light afternoon shade in warmer conditions, with fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Work in compost and prepare a fine, level, weed-free seedbed. Plan dependable irrigation and avoid fresh manure or excessive nitrogen immediately before planting.

Planting

Direct sow lettuce as soon as the soil is workable, or start transplants indoors 3–4 weeks earlier. Germination is best in cool soil, generally below 70°F; high temperatures can cause dormancy. Keep the seedbed continuously moist until emergence. Thin after the first true leaves appear and make small succession sowings every 1–2 weeks during suitable weather.

Watering

Maintain consistently moist soil so lettuce leaves remain tender and mild. Water at the root zone whenever the upper soil begins drying, avoiding drought stress, saturation, and frequent wet foliage.

Fertilizer

Apply a light nitrogen-rich feeding after lettuce establishes if growth is pale or slow. Follow soil-test guidance and avoid overfertilizing, which causes tender, weak, or bitter growth.

Harvesting

Harvest outer lettuce leaves once they reach usable size, or cut whole heads when firm and full-sized. Pick during the cool morning for best texture. Harvest promptly before heat causes bolting or bitterness.

Tips

Use succession sowings and temporary shade to extend harvests. Choose heat-tolerant varieties for warm periods, and remove plants promptly when central stems elongate because leaves quickly become bitter.

AVG. Seeding Rate

For baby leaf: 1,000 seeds/16', 1 oz./400', 1 lb./6,400' at 60 seeds/ft.

Pests & Diseases

Downy mildew, lettuce drop, bottom rot, bacterial soft rot, and mosaic virus can destroy lettuce quickly. Choose resistant varieties and mosaic-indexed seed, rotate beds, and use raised rows where drainage is poor. Remove plants with cottony crown growth or mosaic; harvest sound heads before overmaturity invites decay.

Because lettuce is eaten for its leaves, scout early for aphids, flea beetles, leafminers, slugs, and caterpillars. Exclude pests with insect netting, remove damaged outer leaves, and handpick larger feeders.