Valmaine Lettuce is a romaine variety that reaches harvest in 75 days, offering gardeners a reliable crop of upright, tender leaves. This cultivar thrives in full sun with moderate watering and slightly neutral soil (pH 6.0, 7.0), making it adaptable to most garden conditions. Its compact spacing requirements and straightforward growing pattern reward both beginners and experienced growers looking for consistent, quality harvests throughout the season.
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Valmaine's upright growth habit means it takes up minimal garden real estate while producing substantial leaf mass ready for harvest in just over two months. The tight spacing of just 1 inch between plants (though they're thinned to 12, 16 inches as they mature) lets you start seeds densely and thin as needed, giving you flexibility in how densely you plant. For gardeners who prefer harvesting individual outer leaves rather than cutting entire heads, this romaine variety accommodates that preference beautifully, extending your harvest window across multiple weeks.
Valmaine Lettuce works beautifully in fresh salads where its romaine structure holds dressings well. The outer leaves can be harvested individually over time, extending your kitchen supply, or you can cut the entire plant and use all the leaves at once. Its upright form and tender texture make it equally at home in a composed salad or as a fresh base for wraps.
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Start Valmaine indoors 4, 6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date. Sow seeds in trays or pots with moist seed-starting mix, pressing them gently into the surface without covering deeply.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor light and air over 7, 10 days before transplanting. Move them to the garden when they have 2, 3 true leaves. Space them 12, 16 inches apart in rows spaced 16 inches apart.
Direct sow seeds outdoors, pressing them gently into moist soil. Use row cover immediately after sowing to improve germination and prevent soil crusting. Thin seedlings to 12, 16 inches apart once they develop 2, 3 true leaves. For continuous harvest, sow new seeds every 2, 3 weeks throughout the season, choosing heat-tolerant varieties for summer plantings.
Valmaine can be harvested in multiple ways. Pick individual outer leaves as soon as they reach usable size, allowing the inner leaves to continue growing for successive harvests over several weeks. Alternatively, cut the entire plant about 1 inch above the soil line and remove it whole. For maximum quality, harvest in the morning when leaves are crisp and fully hydrated. Check plants daily once they mature; all lettuce eventually becomes bitter as plants bolt, so don't delay harvesting mature leaves.
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