Salanova Red Gem Lettuce is an exclusive Little Gem-type lettuce bred for compact, gorgeous heads that mature in just 48 days from transplants. This open-pollinated variety thrives in cool weather, germinating best between 60 and 70°F, and its frost tolerance means you can harvest it early and late in the season when other greens have bolted. The pelleted conventional seed germinates reliably, offering gardeners a dependable choice for succession planting every 2 to 3 weeks.
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Moderate
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Red Gem delivers stunning color and compact growth in under seven weeks, making it one of the fastest Little Gem types you can grow. Its frost tolerance and cool-weather preference mean spring and fall harvests are especially productive, while the small 6-inch spacing allows you to pack these heads densely into beds and containers. The exclusive genetics combined with reliable open-pollinated seed make this a gardener's variety worth returning to year after year.
Red Gem is grown primarily as a fresh eating lettuce, ideal for harvesting whole small heads or as individual leaves for salads. Its compact size and elegant red coloring make it popular for farmers market bunches and home garden harvests where a full head offers just the right portion for a single meal or two.
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Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your transplant date. Maintain soil temperature between 60 and 70°F for reliable germination. Pelleted seed should be used within one year of purchase and stored in a cool, dark, dry place; if refrigerating, place the seed in an airtight container to protect it from humidity fluctuations. Expect approximately 16,000 plants per ounce of seed.
Transplant seedlings outdoors as soon as soil can be worked in spring, since this hardy, cool-weather crop tolerates light frost. Space plants 6 inches apart with 12 inches between rows. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting.
Harvest Salanova Red Gem at 48 days from transplant, or when heads reach full compact size. Pick entire heads by cutting at soil level, or harvest individual outer leaves as needed. The compact Little Gem form means each head is a perfectly portioned single serving, so plan your harvest accordingly.
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“Salanova Red Gem represents an exclusive development in the Little Gem lettuce lineage, a type that emerged in the Mediterranean and gained popularity for its crisp hearts and compact form. This particular cultivar was developed through conventional breeding to enhance the red coloring and compact habit that home gardeners and market growers prize. Johnny's Selected Seeds offers this as an exclusive variety, emphasizing its distinctive genetics within the proven Little Gem family.”