Here the leaves grow up and out forming a loose rosette. This form is sometimes referred to simply as leaf lettuce or as curled lettuce. The looseleaf types considerably broaden the gardener's palette because they supply a wealth of delicious leaves in different colours, textures and leaf shapes. The inner leaves of cos become blanched naturally in the development of the head and are used for their crispiness and especially piquant flavour where they are a major ingredient in Caesar salad. If one is planting a vegetable garden for the first time, lettuce would be a good beginning crop.
Seeds sprout quickly in cool soil and plants grow rapidly.
Lettuce plants can be transplanted and tucked into sunny open spots in the vegetable or flower garden, in planter boxes, or in hanging baskets. A large plot is not needed to grow lettuce in fact, nearly all varieties are small enough to be grown in confined areas such as a patio, balcony, or courtyard garden. A large planting of lettuce is usually unwise for the home gardener and while it can be refrigerated, its quality does not improve in storage. Experienced gardeners have found that at any one time a five to eight foot row of lettuce, preferably a mixture of varieties, is enough for a family of four. One of the keys to successful home garden production is sowing small amounts of lettuce seed every 10 to 14 days, except just prior to the heat of the summer.