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 'Eruption' Gem
Lettuce 'Eruption' Gem
'Eruption' is semi-tight headed, gem lettuce with wonderful deep red colouring on outside leaves, a bicolour red tipped, green blonde centre and then and a bleached blonde pink centre with speckles. The leaves are juicy and crunchy with a sweet flavour and a slight bitter undertone which is as appealing as its looks! 'Eruption' tolerates the high heat of summer, producing dense heads in 40 days which hold better than most. It also is a wonderful winter lettuce, coping well with cold days in an unheated polytunnel. The pink centre colour intensifies in winter! The pink heart is best displayed in cross section salads where the small gem lettuce leaves lend themselves to a forksize bite.
Thanks to Uprising Seed in Washington state for scouring the USDA germplasm repository pool and finding this Enza Zaden variety. This lettuce has been found to be resistant to multiple strains of Sclerotinia (Lettuce Drop), and Verticillium Wilt, in experiments by the USDA in California, and has been used to breed that resistance into Latin and Romaine lettuces.
SEED COUNT: 250, 1000, 5000 approx.
Germination Rate: Lot#11293 99% Mar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardy Annual | Full Sun | 15-20cm apart in rows 15cm apart |
22cm | 3mm | 4-6 days @ 16-20°C |
40-50 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.
