Catalina is an exclusive Red Tango type lettuce that delivers garden-fresh salads in just 37 days. This open-pollinated variety grows as a compact head, making it efficient use of space whether you're gardening in containers or in-ground beds. Hardy across zones 3 through 11, it tolerates frost and thrives in cool weather, germinating best between 60 and 70°F. It's the kind of lettuce that rewards early-season planting, giving you crisp heads when you need them most.
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3-11
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Moderate
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Catalina stands out as an exclusive Red Tango type with the speed of a quick-maturing crop and the reliability of open-pollinated genetics. Its compact growth habit means you can fit more plants in less space, and its frost tolerance extends your harvest window well beyond what tender varieties allow. At just 37 days from seed to harvest, this is lettuce that doesn't ask for patience.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your target transplant date, keeping temperatures between 60 and 70°F for best germination. Lettuce seeds are small; sow them shallowly and keep the soil consistently moist until seedlings emerge.
Transplant seedlings outdoors once they've developed 2 to 3 true leaves. Because Catalina is frost-tolerant, you can set transplants out earlier than frost-sensitive crops. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting. Space plants according to the variety's compact growth habit, typically 8 to 10 inches apart.
Direct sow seeds as soon as soil can be worked in spring, and again in late summer for fall harvest. Sow seeds shallowly, press gently into moist soil, and keep the seedbed consistently moist until germination. Thin seedlings to appropriate spacing once they've developed true leaves.
Harvest Catalina at 37 days, when heads have formed and feel firm to the touch. Cut the entire head at soil level using a clean knife, or harvest outer leaves individually if you prefer an extended harvest. Early morning harvesting captures maximum crispness and water content.
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