UH Manoa Lettuce
Lactuca sativa.
A Hawaii favorite semi-heading lettuce. UH Manoa has medium green to dark green “buttery” leaves. Its heads weigh up to 1 pound but are usually smaller. Great as a single serve gourmet lettuce. Will form a small head during cooler months, but the size and firmness of the head varies considerably with the temperature under which it is grown. Developed by UH breeder, Richard Hartmann, the UH Manoa lettuce is a local lowland selection of the heirloom lettuce, Green Mignonette.
Plant in cells or flats and very lightly cover seed, and transplant. Compact plants can be planted 6-8” apart. Lettuce does best in well-drained soil with high organic matter content and soil pH from slightly acid to neutral (pH 6–7). On more acidic soils, lettuce will show a good response to applications of lime and compost mixed into soil to a depth of 6 inches.
Having plants dry when the sun goes down can minimize diseases such as Downy and Powdery Mildew, and Butt rot. Good ventilation and air flow is important to mitigate diseases. Do not crowd plants. Disease pressure for this and other lettuce diseases may be mitigated by increasing row spacing, orienting rows for optimum air flow, using drip irrigation, and practicing crop rotations. Provide adequate Calcium and avoid excessive Nitrogen and Phosphorus to prevent tipburn. Even watering will also help to minimize this physiological problem.
Lettuce can be direct seeded or transplanted. Plant lettuce every 3-4 weeks for continuous harvests. Sow less frequently during cool spring and fall conditions. Optimum germination occurs at soil temperatures from 60–70°F. Plant 2 seeds per cell, 1/8th inch deep. Thin to 1 plant per cell. Harden-off seedlings for 5–7 days prior to transplanting. Transplant 3-4 week old seedlings outside in a fertile garden bed, 12 inches apart, allowing 18–24 inches between rows. To direct seed, plant seed 1/8-1/4 inch deep, 6 seeds per row foot, allowing 18–24 inches between rows.
50 seeds per packet
Seeds grown on Molokai