100% Certified Organic & Demeter Certified Bio-Dynamic Seed
Grown, harvested, dried and packed on Transition Farm
NOTE - If ordering from Western Australia, please check the POSTAGE page for further information
Lettuce 'Divina' Butter
Lettuce 'Divina' Butter
Lactuca Sativa
French beauty, midsize granny smith apple green butterhead with a tightly blanched, bleached heart. The lush textured, juicy leaves hold a lovely, soft mineral flavour that is perfect with a Dijon vinaigrette and spring’s first radishes. A sturdy butter lettuce that thrives in late Winter-Early Summer.
We grew ‘Divina’ to compare with our farm favourite green butterhead ‘Optima’ and fell in love… with both! Both varieties feature the softness in texture and flavour characteristic of butter lettuces. After a Winter of hearty gem lettuces, I find the butter lettuces to be such a welcome delight. Both lettuce held a gorgeous mineral flavour in the juicy leaves.
‘Divina’ withheld washing and packing better with its slightly sturdier quality. This also translated to better field holding with less bottom rot in the ‘Divina’ through a week of soggy wet weather. ‘Divina’ is full of lush texture, great colour differentiation as you unwrap her blanched,bleached heart and the subtle difference in leaf density and delicateness from the blanching. ‘Divina’ was very slow to bolt and we have selectively bred for that quality as well as resistance to downy mildew.
‘Optima’ reigns as the winner in the suede like texture of her outer leaves. It is an extraordinary characteristic that I have yet to find in any other variety.
We would actually plant both as ‘Optima’ was mature 10-14 days ahead of ‘Divina’ allowing us to have a harvest window of green butterheads between 21-28 days from the same planting. But, as every growers wash and pack is unique, we would suggest one does their own field trial to determine farm growing conditions preference, wash and pack suitablitity and market appeal.
Thank you to Frank Martin at Wild Garden Seeds for keeping this variety in circulation.
SEED COUNT: 250, 1000 approx.
Germination: Lot#12262 99% Apr 2024
PLEASE NOTE: We do not authorize the repackaging of our seed without written permission
Seed Raising, Growing and Harvest Information
| Plant Type | Site | Spacing | Height | Sowing Depth |
Days to Germination |
Days to Maturity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | Full Sun | 25cm apart in rows 25cm apart |
20cm | 3mm | 4-6 days @ 16-20°C |
45 days |
TRANSPLANT - Sow indoors early Spring, 2 seeds per cell, barely covering seeds with fine vermiculite, 3–4 weeks before transplanting outdoors. Thin to 1 plant/cell. Shade the flats on sunny, warm days if necessary to keep the soil surface cool, below 24°C, until germination. Harden seedlings by reducing water and temperature for 2-3 days before planting outdoors. Properly hardened transplants can survive temperatures as low as 0°C.
DIRECT SOW - Lettuce is hardy and can be planted as early as the soil can be worked. It is a cool weather crop and grows best at temperatures of 16-18°C. Seeds germinate even at low, 4°C, soil temperature, but poorly above 24°C. Sow seeds 2.5cm apart in rows 25-30cm apart. Lightly cover and keep moist. Enjoy thinnings ultimately leaving 25cm between plants. Ample water grows the sweetest lettuce.
Careful variety selection is important for hot weather plantings. Sow every 3 weeks for a continuous supply of fresh lettuce.
