Red Saladbowl Looseleaf Lettuce is a vibrant, crimson-leafed lettuce that delivers the tender, delicate character of the classic Saladbowl variety while swapping in a stunning deep red color and a slightly more compact, fuller head. Unlike its green counterpart, this variety holds its own through heat waves and maintains that exceptional flavor gardeners love. Frost-tolerant and ready to harvest in roughly 50-60 days, it's a lettuce that's as striking on the plate as it is resilient in the garden.
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The rich red foliage is immediately eye-catching, but what truly sets this variety apart is its combination of ornamental beauty and heat tolerance. You get the delicious, tender leaves of the original Saladbowl with a more compact, fuller structure and the bonus of handling hot weather without bolting or turning bitter. The flavor remains excellent throughout the season, making it one of the few red lettuces that doesn't sacrifice taste for color.
Red Saladbowl is grown primarily for fresh eating, where its tender leaves shine in salads. The loose-leaf structure means you can harvest individual outer leaves as needed while the plant continues growing, or cut the entire head if you prefer. The mild, delicate flavor and soft texture make it equally suited to simple green salads and composed plates where its striking red color becomes a design element.
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Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost in soil kept at 60-70°F. Lettuce germinates quickly at these temperatures and develops into transplant-ready seedlings in about 3-4 weeks. Keep soil consistently moist but not soggy during germination.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil temperature reaches at least 50°F. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days. Space plants 6 inches apart in rows spaced 12 inches apart, planting deep enough to bury the soil line but not the crown.
Direct sow seeds outdoors 2-3 weeks before the last spring frost, as the frost-tolerant variety can handle light freezes. Sow seeds every 2-3 weeks through mid-spring for succession harvests. In fall, sow 8-10 weeks before the first expected frost to ensure plants mature before cold weather arrives.
Begin harvesting outer leaves once the plant is established and leaves reach 4-6 inches long, typically 30-40 days from transplanting. You can harvest individual outer leaves by gently pinching or cutting them at the base, allowing the plant to continue growing and producing. Alternatively, cut the entire head just above soil level when it reaches full size. Harvest in early morning when leaves are crisp and full of moisture. Red Saladbowl is ready for complete head harvest in roughly 50-60 days from transplanting.
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“Red Saladbowl emerged as a color sport of the beloved standard Saladbowl lettuce, maintaining all the qualities home gardeners cherished while adding that stunning crimson hue. Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit seed conservation organization, has stewarded this variety as part of their broader mission to preserve vegetable diversity and support agricultural heritage in the Southwest. By offering Red Saladbowl through their catalog, the organization keeps this reliable, heat-loving lettuce in circulation while funding their work rescuing seeds from the verge of extinction.”