Red Rhubarb
Ruby Red Lettuce is a vibrant loose-leaf variety that lives up to its name with deeply colored reddish-green foliage that refuses to fade even as temperatures climb. Ready to harvest in just 40 to 49 days, this non-GMO cultivar forms compact, densely crumpled plants standing 5 to 10 inches tall, earning its place as much for ornamental appeal as for the kitchen. Hardy across zones 2 to 10, it thrives in cool to warm seasons and brings a mildly sweet flavor and tender texture to salads and fresh preparations.
Full Sun
—
2-10
10in H x ?in W
Perennial
Moderate
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Ruby Red stands out as the darkest red among red lettuce varieties, with a heat resistance that keeps those deep colors vibrant rather than fading to green under summer sun. The leaves are distinctly crumpled and loose, creating an appealing texture both visually and on the plate. Its compact mounding habit and relatively quick maturity make it accessible to gardeners of all experience levels, while the non-GMO seed stock connects growers to transparent, responsible breeding practices.
Ruby Red Lettuce shines in fresh salads where its tender leaves and mild sweetness can take center stage, or as a supporting player in mixed greens where its deep red color adds visual drama. The loose-leaf structure means you can harvest outer leaves continuously while the plant keeps producing, or cut the entire head when ready. Its ornamental quality makes it equally at home in edible landscape gardens as on the dinner plate.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost or 8 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix, keeping temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Lettuce seeds germinate in 7 to 10 days under these conditions.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors once they have developed 2 to 3 true leaves and soil temperatures are at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Space transplants 8 inches apart.
Direct sow seeds outdoors in spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in late summer for fall harvest. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep and thin seedlings to 8 inches apart once they have emerged.
Begin harvesting outer leaves once plants are 4 to 6 inches tall, typically 30 to 35 days after planting, by pinching or cutting leaves from the outside of the plant. The plant will continue producing new inner leaves for successive harvests over several weeks. For a full-head harvest, cut the entire plant at soil level when it reaches 5 to 10 inches in height, which occurs around 40 to 49 days. Harvest in the early morning when leaves are most crisp and succulent. Ruby Red's color remains vibrant and doesn't fade, so harvest timing is more about plant size and leaf tenderness than color changes.
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