Romaine
Flashy Trout Back Lettuce lives up to its whimsical name with attractive green leaves beautifully speckled in red, creating a striking pattern reminiscent of trout markings. This open-pollinated butterhead variety typically matures in around 50 days, making it perfect for cool season growing when you want fresh salads with visual flair. The leafy rosettes develop into substantial heads when given proper spacing, and its hardy nature allows for early spring planting when soil is first workable.
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The stunning red-speckled foliage makes this lettuce as much an ornamental as a culinary treasure, bringing color and pattern to both garden beds and salad bowls. This hardy cool-weather performer thrives in temperatures between 60-65°F and can handle early spring conditions that would challenge more tender varieties. With proper successive planting every few weeks, you can maintain a constant supply from early spring through late summer plantings for fall harvest.
Flashy Trout Back excels as a fresh salad lettuce where its colorful leaves create visual interest in mixed greens. The tender butterhead texture works beautifully in composed salads where the red speckled pattern can be showcased, and the leaves are substantial enough for lettuce wraps or as a bed for other ingredients.
Start seeds outdoors in cool early spring weather when soil is first workable. Sow 1/4 inch deep and 2 inches apart in rows 6 to 8 inches apart, covering lightly with soil.
Harvest full heads when the butterhead rosettes have reached maturity at approximately 50 days, though timing can vary based on growing conditions. Cut at soil level when leaves are crisp and well-formed, typically in the cool morning hours for best quality and shelf life.
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