Lettuce Seeds Marvel of Four Seasons for planting in seasonal lettuce garden and heirloom salad patch

The Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce is a stunning and versatile variety known for its vibrant colors and exceptional flavor. With its beautifully frilled, reddish-green leaves and crisp texture, this French heirloom lettuce variety thrives in both spring and fall, providing a continuous harvest throughout the growing season. Perfect for gardeners seeking a reliable and attractive lettuce, Marvel of Four Seasons is an excellent addition to any vegetable garden, producing flavorful, tender leaves for a wide range of culinary uses.

Key Benefits

• Beautiful Coloration: Features frilled, multi-colored leaves in shades of red, green, and gold, adding visual appeal to your garden and plate.
• Crisp and Tender: Offers a crisp texture and sweet, mild flavor, making it ideal for fresh applications like salads and sandwiches.
• Cold Tolerant: Thrives in cooler temperatures, making it suitable for early spring and fall planting.
• Slow to Bolt: Known for its ability to resist bolting (going to seed), allowing for longer harvest periods.
• High Yield: Produces a steady yield of fresh, tender leaves that can be harvested continuously throughout the growing season.

Variety Features

• Plant Characteristics: Features loose, frilled, multi-colored leaves that range from green to reddish-brown with a slight golden tint at the base.
• Flavor Profile: Sweet, mild, and slightly nutty, perfect for raw dishes or adding a delicate crunch to cooked meals.
• Growth Habit: Grows as a loose-leaf lettuce with a rosette shape, rather than forming a tight head, which allows for easy harvesting of individual leaves.
• Size: Typically reaches 6–8 inches in height and 10–12 inches in width when mature, with a broad spread of leaves.

Planting Instructions

Planting Season

• Planting Time: Best planted in early spring or late summer for a fall harvest, Marvel of Four Seasons thrives in cooler temperatures (55°F–75°F or 13°C–24°C).
• Ideal Temperature: Prefers cool weather but can tolerate slightly warmer temperatures, making it a great option for both early spring and fall gardens.

Planting Details

• Seed Depth: Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep in well-drained, fertile soil.
• Spacing: Space plants 8–10 inches apart, with rows 12–18 inches apart to allow for proper air circulation and growth.
• Soil Requirements: Prefers fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0.
• Sunlight: Full sun is ideal, but it can tolerate partial shade, especially during the hotter months.

Care Instructions

Watering

• Keep the soil consistently moist, providing about 1 inch of water per week. Lettuce needs regular watering to maintain tender, crisp leaves.
• Water at the base of the plants, avoiding wetting the foliage, which can lead to disease.

Fertilization

• Apply a balanced organic fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) at planting and again when plants are 4–6 inches tall for healthy leaf growth.
• Avoid over-fertilizing, as too much nitrogen can lead to excess leaf growth with reduced flavor.

Weeding and Mulching

• Regularly remove weeds to prevent competition for nutrients and water. Use mulch to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and keep the soil cool.

Pest and Disease Control

• Pests: Watch for aphids, slugs, and snails. Use organic methods such as insecticidal soap or diatomaceous earth to control pests.
• Diseases: Lettuce is susceptible to fungal diseases like downy mildew and leaf spot. Rotate crops, space plants properly, and keep good garden hygiene to reduce disease risk.

Harvesting

• Maturity: Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce is ready to harvest in about 50–60 days, depending on growing conditions.
• Size: Leaves can be harvested as soon as they reach a good size, typically when they are 6–8 inches long. For a full harvest, wait for the rosette to mature, reaching 10–12 inches wide.
• Method: For "cut-and-come-again" harvesting, gently snip off outer leaves and allow the inner leaves to continue growing. Alternatively, harvest the entire plant when fully mature.

Storage

• Short-Term: Store fresh lettuce in the refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Long-Term: Lettuce can be blanched and frozen for longer storage, but it may lose some of its crispness.

Culinary Uses

• Salads: Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce is perfect for fresh salads, offering a crisp, tender texture and sweet flavor.
• Sandwiches and Wraps: The broad, frilled leaves make an excellent wrap or addition to sandwiches.
• Garnishes: Use the leaves as a colorful garnish for plated meals, soups, or even appetizers.
• Toppings: Adds a refreshing crunch to burgers and tacos.

Conclusion

Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce is a must-have for gardeners looking for an attractive, flavorful, and easy-to-grow variety. With its colorful leaves, crisp texture, and mild flavor, it’s perfect for fresh salads, wraps, and sandwiches. This cold-tolerant lettuce is slow to bolt, providing a long harvest period, and can be grown in both spring and fall, making it an excellent choice for cooler-season gardening. Enjoy a continuous supply of fresh, tender lettuce with this beautiful and reliable variety.