Marvel of Four Seasons Lettuce

This is a red lettuce that will grow all winter (tested as low as -15 in a cold frame) and is also supposed to grow well all year around, hence the name.  I have only grown it since last fall so I can't speak to the summer as of yet.   It's a very productive lettuce that you can pick the outer leaves off and it will grow about as fast as you can pick it.

I'll send 25-30 seeds.  

I would love to simply exchange seeds - anything you have that is heirloom is fine.  If I already have it I'll pass it on to some gardening friends    If you don't have anything to share, don't worry, I'm happy to send it along anyway!

Message me for my address.
Audrey

I'm really looking forward to mine growing, audrey -- and I hope we both find out that it grows well in summer!

How is the taste? and where did you get your seeds from?

such a nice thought to give some away auderyj!

thanks for sharing and please keep us updated on how the lettuce does during the summer!

Not only are we growing for our selves we have 6 hens that we would love to provide fresh greens all year long   

hugs
rose

Rose, it's a very mild taste - everyone that has had it here has loved it.  

The seeds were purchased from Caleb Warnock - author of Growing a Backyard Winter Garden. He is involved in seed preservation on a world wide basis including working with governments to save heirloom seeds in seed banks.  He looks for antique varieties and when he locates them propagates them to save them for future generations.

This is his favorite lettuce and one of my favs too!

It grew unprotected all winter long for me.  Our lowest temps were 24 degrees.  It was in my greenhouse but unheated so my guess is it was perhaps 27-28 degrees.  This coming year I will plant them in the outside gardens for winter harvesting.  

My fall plants grew until April and produced really well.  We had record heat, over 100 several times in the Spring for a while and it didn't bolt until the end of April.  That should have been its natural life cycle any way so we'll watch my new plants this summer and report back.

Wow that long to bolt and it took that kinda temps? I'm starting to feel good about this!

A lot of the seed companies are out of stock on this one, but as of today it is available here.

http://www.cooksgarden.com/vegetables/lettuce/lettuce-four-seasons-prod001083.html

I still have more if anyone is interested.  I have four plants gone to seed  

I sent you a PM.

I've sent out to everyone that has written so far.  If you don't receive your seeds in the next week or two let me know!

take some.  I missed the original message.  I'll give you my shipping address or send you a self addressed envelope if you give me your address.

Send me a PM with your address and if you have any seeds to share just let me know what you might have.  If not, don't worry about it :-)

Hi Audrey,

My daughter is thrilled about the Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce.  She loves fresh salads.  So much so that she harvested the bitter stalks of my Yugoslavian lettuce and made a salad out of the leaves.  She used a very strong balsamic dressing and, believe it or not, her salad tasted pretty good.

Anyway, I just wanted to ask:  Do you think the Marvel lettuce will be able to withstand our oppressive 90+ degree weather in the summer.  I was thinking to hold off until it gets just a little bit cooler.

Windmere wrote:Anyway, I just wanted to ask:  Do you think the Marvel lettuce will be able to withstand our oppressive 90+ degree weather in the summer.  I was thinking to hold off until it gets just a little bit cooler.

Inquiring minds want to know about planting this lettuce in the summer in the south.  I have a package and am just waiting for an open square to try it out.

I just received the package of Four Seasons Lettuce I ordered.  Am going to start some in the house this weekend and set it outside in the aeroponic tower as soon as it germinates. 

Right now we're in the mid 90° range and normally I would be growing all my lettuce indoors.  I'll let you know how it does.

Mine is bolting already.

All of mine that was in the direct sun has bolted - but it was old.  I have new starts I'm planting in a large 24" round pot under my romaine which look like small trees as I pick their outer leaves.  So I'll report on how it does in those conditions.  

I don't think any lettuce is going to be at its best in 90-100+ temps, it's more a matter of if you can work with it to have fresh salads.  Last summer I planted a mixture of lettuce plants, sown closer than normal and picked the baby leaves off ever 2-3 days.  I had fresh lettuce all summer doing that.  I just pulled any that started to bolt and re-sowed the lettuce when needed. 

The best were the red and green romaine and oak leaf.

I'm curious how it will do in partial shade. I have some under row cover in direct sun, some in a deck railing type planter, and am going to put some in partial shade.

Before I've noticed some of my other types of lettuce growing, but sometimes growing poorly in partial shade. I hope to find the perfect way(s) to grow this lettuce year-round in our climate.

Audrey, if you have any of the lettuce seeds left, I would love to try them.  Being in  upper Michigan, due to the extreme cold winters and late cool springs,  it is hard to grow many lettuce varieties. I would be happy to send you a package of heirloom seeds next week   If you are able to send them,I can message you my addy and maybe give me a clue what types of seeds you might be interested in 
Alice

I would be delighted to send you some :-)  They're just starting to grow large right now and they're just one of my very favorite lettuces. 

Send me a message!

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:I would be delighted to send you some :-)  They're just starting to grow large right now and they're just one of my very favorite lettuces. 

Send me a message!

Is it too late to get in on this? I ordered a tiny bit of heirloom tomato seeds I could swap for these. One is Crimson Cushion Beefsteak. The other is Super Snow White Cherry. I'm only getting 10-15 of each, but I'd happily split them with you.

Unfortunately, my supply is low, but I have plants going to seed right now so I'll have some in a couple of months.  Write me back in June and I should have some to share :-)

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:Unfortunately, my supply is low, but I have plants going to seed right now so I'll have some in a couple of months.  Write me back in June and I should have some to share :-)

Will do. Thanks. 

My Marvel of 4 Seasons supply is full again, so if you would like to swap any seeds, just let me know.  If you don't have seeds but would like some, don't hesitate to ask :-) 
Audrey

Audrey, If we ever meet, I would love to try Marcel of Four Season.

I think I have a dental appointment this week.  I'll check my schedule tomorrow and maybe we can connect :-)