Simpson Elite Slow Bolting Lettuce is a loose-leaf variety bred to resist the gardener's greatest summer enemy: premature bolting. Ready to harvest in just 53 days from direct seeding, this Lactuca sativa cultivar delivers tender, flavorful leaves long after ordinary lettuce has turned bitter and gone to seed. Its slow-bolting habit makes it exceptional for warm-season gardening, where extending the harvest window means more salads from a single planting. Space plants just 1 inch apart in rows 16 inches wide for a compact, productive bed that thrives in full sun with moderate water.
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The slow-bolting trait is what gardeners crave in midsummer, when heat typically sends lettuce racing toward flowers. Simpson Elite stays in the picking stage considerably longer than standard varieties, giving you weeks of harvestable leaves instead of days. The 53-day timeline from seed to table is genuinely quick, and the loose-leaf habit means you're never forced to pull the whole plant; instead, harvest outer leaves and let the heart keep growing. This is the lettuce for gardeners tired of replanting every two weeks just to stay ahead of the calendar.
As a loose-leaf lettuce, Simpson Elite works beautifully for fresh salads where individual leaves can be picked over several weeks, extending your harvest from a single planting. The leaves are tender enough for delicate salad mixes and retain their quality longer than heat-prone varieties, making them reliable for both home and market gardeners who need consistency through warmer months.
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Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date. Provide cool conditions and bright light for sturdy seedling development.
Transplant seedlings outdoors once they have developed 2 to 3 true leaves. Space loose-leaf types 10 to 14 inches apart to allow room for growth.
Direct sow seeds as soon as soil is workable in spring or in late summer for fall harvest. Use row cover to improve germination and prevent soil crusting. As soon as 2 to 3 true leaves have formed, thin loose-leaf types to 10 to 14 inches apart.
Begin harvesting individual outer leaves once the plant reaches picking stage, typically around 53 days from direct seeding. Harvest leaves from the outside of the plant, allowing the inner leaves to continue growing and the plant to remain productive. You can remove individual leaves as needed, cut the plant about 1 inch above the soil for a partial harvest, or remove the entire plant if desired. Check daily for leaves ready to harvest, as they will eventually begin to bolt and turn bitter with age.
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