Master Gardener Glenn Berman, one of the VegHeadz volunteers, is a leader in trying unusual varieties in our garden. This year he grew Brown
Dutch Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) which has proven to be an outstanding variety.
It is a non-heading variety, with large, tender, floppy leaves similar to butter lettuce. An heirloom from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, it has resisted bolting, and at this late day in the spring is still mild and tender. It has survived heat and cold equally well. Glenn started the seeds indoors on January 22 and transplanted them to the garden a little over three weeks later.
It was the most frequently planted of the approximately seventeen
lettuce varieties documented by Thomas Jefferson in the vegetable garden at
Monticello. It was one of the most popular fall and winter lettuces in
colonial America and was mentioned as early as 1731 by British botanist Stephen
Switzer.
Seeds can be obtained online directly from the Monticello website.
