Green Deer Tongue Lettuce

Description

Green Deer Tongue Lettuce
Lactuca Sativa

Amish variety valued for its ruggedness and heavy production. Thick compact plant great for a cut-and-come-again lettuce when thickly sown. Thin midrib, good texture, pleasant sharp flavor. Heat resistant and slow to bolt. Looseleaf

Culture: Most lettuces are hardy, cool-season crops that can be planted as early as the soil can be worked. Many do best when the air temperature is between 60-70°F, and will germinate well at soil temperatures as low as 40°F.

Direct sow early in spring, 1/8 inch deep, 1 inch apart in rows 6-12 inches apart. Thin if desired for bigger heads or leave seedlings close together and harvest as cut and come again lettuce

Seed saving: Since lettuce is self pollinating the risk of cross pollination is minimal. Wait until the seed is dry on the plant and then cut off stalk and place in a bag.

When completely dry, shake the flower stems in the bag. Rub the seed heads between your hands to release more seeds. Put the seed through a fine mesh sieve that allows the seeds through but retains the chaff and plumes; this will give relatively clean seed. Winnowing is difficult because seeds and chaff are about the same size and weight. For extra cleaning use reverse screening, with a smaller mesh that retains the seed but lets small pieces or chaff and plume through. The dust produced during cleaning causes irritation to the lungs and eyes. If cleaning large amounts use a mask and goggles or clean outdoors.