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Seed-Starting Mastery: Post #2- Lettuce & Spinach
- Jodi McKee
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
Lettuce & Spinach – Your First Real Test of Patience (and Why It’s Still Pretty Forgiving)
Welcome back to the series!
If those radishes from Post #1 gave you your first taste of homegrown victory (crisp, spicy, and pulled straight from the dirt), you're hooked now. But lettuce and spinach slow things down just enough to teach you two critical skills that will carry you through the entire series:
Maintaining constant surface moisture without turning your trays into a swamp (goodbye, damping-off nightmares).
Practicing real patience – germination takes 7–12 days, not 3–5 like radishes.
These leafy greens are still firmly in the "very easy" category, but they demand consistency. Master them here on forgiving crops, and you'll breeze through the finicky onions and celery later.
Why Lettuce & Spinach Are the Perfect “Level 2” Vegetables
Germination time: 7–12 days (your first lesson in waiting without panic).
Temperature sweet spot: Ideal 60–70°F for germination, grow happily in 45–75°F days.
Cold hardiness: Established plants are fairly hardy in light frosts down to 20–25°F.
Harvest window: Baby leaves in 21–28 days, full size in 40–60 days.
Forgiveness factor: Even if they bolt or get bitter, you can still eat the young leaves. Not a total loss.
Versatility: Start indoors for early crops or direct sow for successions all season.
They punish inconsistency fast (dry out once = failed germination), but reward daily attention with mountains of tender, expensive-to-buy greens.
Two Best Ways to Grow Them
Method A: Indoor Start Under Lights (My Personal Favorite for Control and Early Harvests)
Perfect for jumping the season in cold climates or growing year-round on a balcony.
What you'll need (most you can reuse forever):
Cell trays (72- or 128-cell inserts work great)
Clear plastic humidity dome or plastic wrap
Sterile seed-starting mix (fine texture, no garden soil)
Grow lights (cheap shop lights) or a bright south-facing window
Spray bottle for misting + watering can with fine rose
Optional: Bottom heat mat set to 65–70°F (speeds things up)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Pre-moisten your seed-starting mix until it's like a wrung-out sponge. Fill cells firmly, but don't pack too tight. Level the surface.
Sow 3–5 seeds per cell, barely ⅛–¼ inch deep. Lettuce and spinach need faint light to germinate, just press lightly into the surface and sprinkle a whisper of mix over them.
Mist thoroughly until the top is dark and evenly wet.
Cover with the clear dome or plastic wrap to create 100% humidity.
Place in a warm spot (65–75°F). Ideally, on a heat mat if you have one. No light needed yet, they're in the dark germination phase.
Check every single day (this is the discipline builder). Mist whenever the surface starts lightening, aim for "chocolate cake moist," never soggy.
Germination timeline:
Days 5–7: Tiny white root tips appear.
Days 7–10: Cotyledons (first two long, skinny seed leaves) push up.
Days 12–14: First true leaves (shaped like the mature plant) emerge.
As soon as 50% of the seeds have sprouted, remove the dome immediately to prevent fungal issues. Drop lights to 2–3 inches above seedlings and run 14–16 hours/day.
When true leaves appear, thin to the strongest 1 plant per cell using clean scissors, snip at soil level, don't pull (disturbs neighbors).
Harden off and transplant outdoors when plants have 4–6 true leaves (about 3–4 weeks after sowing). Space lettuce 8–12 inches, spinach 6–8 inches.
Method B: Direct Sow Outdoors (Simple and Excellent for Continuous Crops)
Wait for soil temps above 40°F (usually 2–4 weeks before last frost for spring, or late summer for fall).
Prepare a fine, crumbly seedbed, rake out any clumps.
Broadcast seeds thickly for baby greens or sow in rows ¼ inch deep, 1 inch apart.
Cover lightly with fine compost or more seed-starting mix.
Water gently but thoroughly every day (sometimes twice in hot weather) until germination.
Thin to final spacing when 2–3 true leaves appear.
Mulch lightly and keep watered for tender leaves.
Spinach Types & Varieties — Quick Definitions
Savoy Spinach -Savoy spinach is the classic, deeply crinkled spinach most people recognize. Its thick, textured leaves are excellent at handling cooler temperatures and light frosts, making it a favorite for early spring and fall gardens. Savoy types are slightly more resistant to damage and tend to have a rich, robust flavor.
Semi-Savoy Spinach -Semi-savoy spinach sits right in the middle, with lightly crinkled leaves that are easier to wash than full savoy, but still sturdier than smooth-leaf varieties. These types are popular with home gardeners because they balance disease resistance, cold tolerance, and ease of harvest.
Smooth-Leaf (Flat-Leaf) Spinach -Smooth-leaf spinach has flat, tender leaves with minimal texture. It grows quickly, is easy to clean, and is often preferred for baby spinach, salads, and processing. While productive, smooth-leaf varieties are generally less cold-hardy than savoy types.
Arrowhead Spinach -Arrowhead spinach is named for its distinctly pointed, triangular leaf shape. These varieties are often fast-growing and well-suited for baby greens. Arrowhead types tend to have a mild flavor and are commonly used in cut-and-come-again harvests.
Baby Spinach -Baby spinach isn’t a separate variety, but rather spinach harvested young — usually 3–5 weeks after planting. Any spinach type can be grown as baby spinach, though smooth-leaf and arrowhead varieties are especially popular for their tenderness.
Bloomsdale-Type Spinach -Bloomsdale is a traditional savoy-style spinach variety known for its heavily crinkled leaves and strong cold tolerance. It’s a classic choice for overwintering or early-season plantings and remains a favorite among heirloom gardeners.
Lettuce Types & Varieties — Quick Definitions
Butterhead (Bibb, Boston) - Butterhead lettuce forms loose, soft heads with tender, buttery leaves. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and thrives in cooler weather. Butterhead varieties are ideal for fresh salads and are more heat-sensitive than other types.
Romaine (Cos) - Romaine lettuce grows upright with elongated leaves and a crisp central rib. It’s more heat-tolerant than butterhead and holds up well in warm climates. Romaine is nutrient-dense and commonly used in Caesar-style salads.
Crisphead (Iceberg) - Crisphead lettuce forms dense, tight heads with crunchy, pale leaves. While it prefers cooler growing conditions and takes longer to mature, it’s prized for its texture rather than flavor. Crisphead varieties are less common in home gardens due to their space and temperature needs.
Loose-Leaf Lettuce - Loose-leaf lettuce does not form a head and instead produces individual leaves that can be harvested continuously. It’s one of the easiest lettuces to grow and matures quickly. These varieties are ideal for cut-and-come-again harvesting and small gardens.
Oakleaf Lettuce - Oakleaf lettuce is a type of loose-leaf lettuce named for its deeply lobed, oak-shaped leaves. It’s tender, mildly sweet, and slow to bolt, making it a reliable choice for warmer conditions and extended harvests.
Batavian (Summer Crisp) - Batavian lettuce bridges the gap between loose-leaf and crisphead types. It forms loosely packed heads with thick, crunchy leaves and has excellent heat tolerance. Batavian varieties are well-suited for summer growing when other lettuces struggle.
Mesclun Mix - Mesclun refers to a blend of young salad greens — often including multiple lettuce types along with other greens. It’s harvested young for tender texture and diverse flavor, making it popular for quick, succession planting.
My Top Variety Recommendations
These are proven winners that perform in diverse climates.
Lettuce:
Black Seeded Simpson (loose-leaf): Heat-tolerant heirloom, light green crinkles, incredibly reliable.
Salanova: One-cut cores yield perfect baby leaves – huge bang for your tray space.
Buttercrunch (butterhead/bibb): Buttery texture, slow to bolt, forms gorgeous heads.
Red Sails (loose-leaf): Stunning red ruffles, very slow to bolt, adds color to mixes.
Spinach:
Bloomsdale Long Standing (Savoy): Crinkly leaves, cold-hardy heirloom king – flavor unmatched.
Noble Giant (semi-savoy hybrid): Fast, bolt-resistant, upright growth, my preference for fall and spring plantings. In my Zone 9 area, this is the first to germinate, while the Bloomsdale is slightly behind and slower to grow, a perfect succession pairing.
Flamingo Improved ( Arrowhead): Unique arrowhead shape. Uniform, smooth, medium-green leaves on very long stems. A great choice for bunching.
Bonus heat-lovers: New Zealand Spinach and Malabar Spinach (climbing) for when regular spinach quits in summer.
Pro Tips That Turn Good Crops into Fabulous Harvests
Succession sow every 10–14 days for nonstop salads spring through fall.
Cut-and-come-again: Harvest outer leaves at 3–4 inches, plants regrow 3–5 times.
30–40% shade cloth in summer prevents bolting above 80°F.
Baby leaf method: Sow super thick, scissor-harvest entire patch at 3–4 inches (21–28 days), get 1–2 regrowths.
Floating row cover from day 1 = no flea beetles or leaf miners. ( We'll cover off pests in a later post)
Mix lettuce + spinach seeds 50/50 in the same tray for an instant salad blend.
Bottom-water once true leaves appear to encourage deep roots.
Troubleshooting Chart
Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
No germination after 14 days | Soil too cold (<40°F), dried out once, old seed | Warm the trays, keep constantly moist, use fresh seed |
Seedlings collapse & die | Damping-off (fungus) | Sterile mix, remove dome early, increase airflow, less water |
Tall, leggy, pale plants | Insufficient light | Lower lights to 2 inches, 14–16 hours/day |
Bitter or tough leaves | Heat stress, maturity | Harvest younger, provide shade, consistent water |
Premature bolting | Long days + heat | Bolt-resistant varieties, shade cloth, plant in cool seasons |
Holes in leaves | Flea beetles, slugs, caterpillars | Row cover early, beer traps for slugs, hand-pick |
Flavor & Texture Hacks
Cooler nights = sweeter leaves (fall crops are best).
Harvest in the morning for maximum crispness.
Slight water stress on spinach intensifies flavor (but don't overdo it).
Wash and spin dry immediately – lasts 10+ days in fridge.
Bonus: Quick Ways to Eat Your Mountain of Greens
60-Second Garlic Wilted Spinach: Hot pan, olive oil, garlic slices, toss in spinach till just wilted, lemon squeezed over the top.
Ultimate Mixed Salad Bowl: Pick outer leaves daily, add radish thinnings from Post #1.
Lettuce Wrap Tacos: Whole leaves as shells, lighter and fresher.
Creamed Spinach Upgrade: Sauté with cream, nutmeg, and your own greens.
The Bigger Skills You Just Mastered
You now confidently:
Maintain perfect surface moisture with domes.
Know when to remove the dome and prevent rot.
Distinguish cotyledons from true leaves.
Thin delicately without disturbance.
Harden off and transplant cool-season crops.
Next week in Post #3: Kale, Collards, Swiss chard, and Asian greens, where we introduce "potting up," cold tolerance extremes, and the joy of crops that love being babied a bit longer.
Your mission: Sow at least one tray or row of lettuce and spinach this week. In 21 days, you'll be eating the sweetest salad of your life and wondering why you ever paid $6 for clamshell greens.
Drop a photo of your first sprouts in the comments. I'm rooting for you!
Happy sowing!🥬 🌶️
- Jodi @ HealWise
P.S. Share this post with anyone who complains about expensive produce. These two crops alone will save you hundreds this year.
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