Warm Season Lettuces To Grow That Are Heat Tolerant

Warm Season Lettuces To Grow in Summer Heat

I use to think of growing lettuces only in the spring as a cool season crop before the heat of summer hit. But you can grow a variety of heat-tolerant lettuces in July-August that you can harvest in late September and into late October (with row cover for cold nights) and enjoy fresh salads into late fall. These summer lettuces are called Crisp or Batavian lettuces which are heat tolerant. There are many more Crisp or Batavian lettuces than listed here. Also Romaine is more heat tolerant too. Plant these in from July-early August to harvest before it freezes. The early days to harvest are for harvesting when they are young and the latter days to harvest would be for full grown lettuce. I grow mine inside under lights to give them a head start but you could direct seed as well, just keep them well watered for germination. I plant lettuce outside under 30% shade cloth. Here are some varieties I’ve grown.

Red Salad Bowl-

A popular loose-leaf heirloom lettuce that is heat resistant. This variety is a slow bolting deep red leaf lettuce. The Red Salad Bowl has a sweet and tender flavor.
45-50 days to harvest.

Anuenue-

If you’re looking for lettuce to thrive in the heat of summer, you’ve found it. Selected at University of Hawaii for impressive heat resistance. Anuenue (AH-new-ee-new-ee) is the Hawaiian name for ‘rainbow’ and it is some of the most heat-tolerant lettuce.
55-65 days to harvest

Manoa-

A tender and buttery variety known . to be a heat-tolerant romaine summer crisp that grows well year around, even during the hot days of summer. It is a semi-heading type lettuce with extra-early maturity. Light green internal color. Recommended harvesting when heads are smaller. 50-60 days to harvest

Merlot-

Excellent bolt resistance, and good cold tolerance for a late fall to winter crop. Recommended as a cutting type for baby greens production or cut-and-come-again harvesting. Striking, deep dark red, almost purple frilly leaves. One of the darkest lettuces you can grow. The plant is nothing less than stunning. A very crisp and open headed leaf type that stands upright with a waxy shine that makes an ideal salad lettuce. 55 days to harvest

Joker-

This variety will perform well in all growing seasons and has excellent heat and cold resistance. Slow to bolt on the longest days with high heat.This crisp leaf type forms a tight, savoyed green leaves splashed with red specs,. Harvest from baby-leaf size until the heads are fully mature. 45 days to harvest

Jester-

A heat-resistant multicolored lettuce. Showy, ruffled leaves have a crisp, juicy texture. Harvest individual leaves or as dense, crunchy heads.
45 days days to harvest

Cardinale-

A red wine European Batavian type of lettuce. This french crisp Lettuce has thick, crunchy red leaves with wavy, bronze-tinted edges. Heat-tolerant, it rarely bolts.
50-60 days to harvest

Salanova Red Batavia-

This lettuce hails only from Johnny Seed and is heat tolerant. Beautiful contrast of purplish coloration at leaf tips and deep, yet bright green color at the base. Leaves are semi-savoy and scalloped.
55-60 days to harvest

Warm season lettuce-Batavian or Summercrisp lettuces

Jun29

I like salads, especially in the summer but most lettuces bolted here in my garden in the summer. Last year I grew some lettuces that grew well in the summer. Most lettuces are cool season crops that bolt with the heat but Batavian (also known as Summercrisp) lettuces did surprisingly well here. I grew them in partial shade and not in the direct sun. Not only was I happy they did not bolt and nor get bitter, but they have a crisp sweet taste to them and lasted all summer. There are many more Batavian lettuces online but these are what I tried. Many of these warm season lettuces are on multiple seed company sites but below is where I got the seeds.I just started these lettuce seeds on July 1 in pony packs to transplant later.

Here are some varieties I grew:

Cardinale-recently saved from extinction. A wine red Batavian crisp-leaf, especially suited to cutting for salad mix because of its juicy crunch, heft, shelf life and well-proportioned leaves. Forms open rosettes for easy picking until full maturity, then folds itself into a beautiful red crisphead. seeds: wildgardenseed

Manoa-A special mini head from University of Hawaii, grown widely in the Islands for its resistance to heat and tip-burn. ‘Manoa’ is actually a tropical-stress selected version of the century-old ‘Green Mignonette,’ itself recognized as a standout heat resistant lettuce. Medium deep green, semi-savoyed leaves form small, compact plants that may be baby cut with an open head, or allowed to mature into a blanched round heart. seeds: wildgardenseed

Anuenue-Another A sweet green header from Hawaii. ‘Anuenue’ (rainbow) works as a thick green cut-leaf for salad, or as an easy, heat tolerant, non-bitter, full-heading lettuce. Undemanding, mellow heads, bred for sun, heat, and humidity. seeds: wildgardenseeds

Jester-Crisp as ice, glossy, juicy as an apple, perfectly proportioned for a plate or a sandwich, flashy red speckles on semi-savoyed leaves with crazy-crisped margins like a Jester’s attire. Slow bolting in any season, this crispleaf type can be harvested at the open head stage, or later as a semi-tight pink-hearted blanched head. seeds: wildgardenseeds

Merlot Batavian-It is an open-headed, Batavian-type with upright, waxy, savoyed leaves. Merlot is perfect for baby leaf cut and come again harvesting or for growth to crisp, full-sized, burgundy heads. Its juicy flavor and crisp texture will light up the most discriminating of palettes. seeds: John Scheepers

Nevada-Excellent summer variety forms large, open heads of thick, vibrant green leaves. Glossy and beautifully ruffled leaves with a satisfying combination of crunchy texture and buttery smoothness. Summer crisp characteristics. seeds: highmowingseeds

Skyphos-Most adaptable butterhead. Beautiful, large, dark red heads with nicely contrasting green centers. Excellent flavor and texture. seeds: johnnyseeds

Muir-Muir is an extremely heat tolerant variety and was the slowest to bolt in our summer trials. Technically a Batavian type, the light green, extra-wavy leaves form dense heads at a small size and can be harvested as a mini or left to bulk up into large, heavy, full-size heads. The leaves are crisp and have excellent flavor. seeds: johnnyseeds

Magenta-A red Summer Crisp with good flavor. Shiny, slightly puckered, red-tinged leaves form a whorled, conical head with a crispy green heart. Ideal for spring and summer plantings. Tolerant to bolting, tipburn, and bottom rot. seeds: johnnyseeds