Little Gem lettuce is a small, compact variety that belongs to the Romaine family. Known for its tender, crisp leaves and sweet, mild flavor, it has become a favorite in both casual and fine dining. The heads are typically about the size of a fist, with tightly packed, bright green leaves that are both crunchy and delicate. Its flavor is a perfect balance between the slightly bitter taste of Romaine and the mild sweetness of Butterhead lettuce. Little Gem is often used in salads, sandwiches, or as a base for grilling, where its natural sweetness intensifies. Its small size also makes it an ideal choice for individual servings or garnishes. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, it’s not only flavorful but also nutritious. Little Gem's heads are about 4 inches across and are prime eating from 4-6 inches tall. The plants can be spaced 6 1/2 by 6 1/2 inches for maximum yields. Growing Little Gem lettuce is relatively easy and well-suited to home gardeners, thriving in cool, temperate climates. This compact variety of lettuce prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade, especially in hotter weather. It grows best in well-drained, fertile soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. To plant, sow seeds directly into the soil in early spring or late summer, spacing them about 6-8 inches apart to allow for proper air circulation and growth. Little Gem lettuce thrives with regular watering, but it’s important to avoid waterlogging, as this can lead to root rot. As it matures, the small heads form tight, crisp rosettes. Harvesting can begin in around 30-45 days, typically when the heads are firm but still small. For continuous harvest, sow new seeds every couple of weeks. Little Gem lettuce is also ideal for container gardening due to its compact size, making it a great choice for small spaces or urban gardens.
Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, is a leafy green vegetable characterized by its long, dark green, crinkled leaves. The leaves have a distinctive bumpy texture and are often a deep, rich shade of green, sometimes with a bluish tint. They grow on tall, upright stalks and have a slightly sweeter and milder flavor compared to other kale varieties. This type of kale is prized for its versatility in the kitchen. It can be eaten raw in salads, blended into smoothies, sautéed, or added to soups and stews. Lacinato kale holds up well to cooking without losing its texture, making it a favorite for both chefs and home cooks alike. Nutritionally, it's packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like calcium and iron, making it a powerhouse of health benefits. Its striking appearance and robust flavor make Lacinato kale a standout choice for any dish!
The Green Salad Bowl is a decorative rosette type of lettuce with closely set crispy leaves. This looseleaf lettuce's crumpled leaves hold water very well, making it a popular variety!
The Royal Oakleaf is a long standing oak leaf lettuce that has good heat resistance. This variety develops beautiful rosettes of deeply lobed sea green leaves. Royal Oakleaf is an improved version of the standard oak leaf lettuce. The Royal Oakleaf has excellent flavor, crispness and tenderness that is one that cannot be beat!
The Bronze Mignonette has been a popular heirloom lettuce for over 100 years! This variety is a heat tolerant lettuce that is slow bolting. Bronze Mignette gets its name for having a bronze tint. The lettuce heads reach 8" across with crumply, crisp leaves. This variety looks and tastes in salads and on sandwiches.
The Winter Density Lettuce is a favorite cold weather Romaine! This variety produces compact, extra-dark green heads that are 8" tall and very tightly folded. The Winter Density gets its name for doing well in the cold weather!
Red Romaine Lettuce has long, crinkled leaves with great crunch! This variety starts green and fades to redish-purple. The Red Romaine's leaves are12" tall and the plant is about 10-12" wide. This lettuce is often used in Caesar salads not only for its crunch, but also for its color. Use Red Romaine lettuce for an incredible edible purple border in your flower beds.
Lakeside smooth leaf spinach with dark green leaves. It has a round to oval leaf shape with an upright plant habit that makes it easy to harvest. It is a very versatile variety it can be used for baby leaf, bunch or clip.
The Vivian lettuce is a tightly bunched romaine with broad dark green crisp leaves. Its leaves are 12-16 in. long and 4-6 in. across. Vivian is bolt resistant and suitable for commercial and home growers. Its erect dark green leaves are great for baby leaf production.
The Little Caesar Lettuce is a very attractive tall romaine type with crisp, bright green outer leaves and golden-blanched inner leaves. This lettuce has a sweet, crunchy flavor that is delicious on any sandwich or salad. This variety is easy to grow and is perfect for smaller gardens. Little Caesar is best picked right before eating.
The Tom Thumb Lettuce is a tennis ball sized Bibb type with a great flavor! This slightly savory, bright green lettuce produces small compact heads that have slightly crumpled leaves with a sweet, delicate flavor. One head will make a salad for two! Tom Thumb will grow beautifully in small pots, window boxes, hanging baskets and planted under trees. This variety is the oldest American lettuce still grown, dating back to 1830's! This rare find is a good one!
The Aspabroc Baby gets its name from having asparagus stems and raab heads! Aspabroc Baby Broccoli a deliciously sweet broccolini with a peppery taste. Considered a baby broccoli that was developed by Sakata in Japan. Once cooked the flavor is dulled a bit. The entire plant is edible either raw, sauted, steamed or fried. A very healthy treat that contains vitamin C, A, calcium and iron. Great for sauteeing, steaming, roasting and boiling.
The Alaska Pea is a super-early variety that thrives in colder temperatures! This pea is a semi-dwarf variety that grows to an average height of 3' and is a decent producer once flowering begins. Alaska's pods produce 5-7 peas per pod that offers a sweet and delicious flavor.
Early maturing cabbage with tight heads! Stonehead is a fast grower with 6" heads that average between 4-6 lbs. when mature. Good texture and flavor. This hybrid resist yellow and black rot very well. A great market variety that matures early, won't split and holds well after harvest. Grows well throughout the United States. An All American Selection winner in 1969.
The Chrystal Batavian Lettuce is known for its beautifully colored leaves! This lettuce's coloring has a bright purplish red contrast on broad green loose leaves. The Chrystal Batavian is a summer crisp type of lettuce.
The Bistro Blend is a component mixture of loose leaf lettuce and batavian varieties. All the varieties in this blend have been selected for sweet flavor and thick leaves that stand up well in a rough chopped salad. This blend's colors range from red, bronze, dark green and bright green. This Bistro Blend is a garden favorite with production all year long.
The super sweet Renegade Spinach is simply the best all-around Spinach! This very adaptable spinach variety is early maturing with heavy yields and is easy to grow. Its dark green, rounded leaves are resistant to mildew and arise profusely on compact plants. Renegade is perfect for beginning gardeners and those that have been let down by other varieties!
Michihili cabbage is great for those who love stir-fry or pickling cabbage. A tight-head type with well blanched, crisp and tender interior. Michihili produces a cylindrical, leafy head. A high yielding cabbage with excellent flavor. Chinese cabbage nutrients include vitamins A and C.
