Red Saladbowl is the crimson sibling of a classic lettuce favorite, offering gardeners a vibrant, compact head lettuce that matures in just 30 days. This open-pollinated variety thrives in cool weather, germinating best between 60 and 70°F, making it especially rewarding for spring and fall harvests when temperatures naturally favor lettuce growth. Its compact growth habit means it won't sprawl across your garden bed, and its frost tolerance extends your season on both ends.
—
—
?-?
?in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
Red Saladbowl delivers that nostalgic saladbowl lettuce form in a striking deep red color that brightens any harvest basket. The 30-day timeline means you can succession-plant every few weeks for continuous harvests throughout the cool season. As an open-pollinated variety, you can save seeds from your best plants and watch this lettuce adapt to your garden year after year.
Red Saladbowl is harvested as a loose-leaf or head lettuce for fresh salads, where its deep red color adds visual interest alongside green varieties. The tender leaves work beautifully in mixed green salads and as a colorful bed for other greens.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your desired transplant date, keeping soil temperatures between 60 and 70°F for reliable germination. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 10 days at these temperatures.
Transplant seedlings outdoors once they have developed 2 to 3 true leaves and soil temperatures are consistently above 50°F. Space plants 6 to 8 inches apart in rows, since the compact growth habit doesn't require wide spacing. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 5 to 7 days before final planting.
Direct sow seeds in garden beds as soon as soil can be worked in early spring or 8 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost. Press seeds into firm soil and keep the seedbed consistently moist until germination occurs.
Red Saladbowl reaches harvest readiness in approximately 30 days from germination. Cut the entire head at soil level when the leaves form a compact, full rosette and before the plant begins to bolt. Alternatively, harvest individual outer leaves by snapping them gently from the base, allowing the center to continue growing for successive harvests. For maximum quality, harvest in the early morning when leaves are crisp and full of moisture.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Red Saladbowl is the red-leafed interpretation of Saladbowl lettuce, itself an old standard in American kitchen gardens. By selecting for the red-pigmented form of this reliable, non-heading variety, seed companies made a familiar favorite even more visually striking while retaining the compact, productive growth that made the original so beloved.”