How to Grow Great Lakes 659 Lettuce From Seed

Great Lakes 659 is a crisphead lettuce grown for a firm, crunchy head. It needs more room and a longer stretch of cool weather than a quick baby-leaf crop. Plan the sowing date around head formation, then thin early and keep moisture steady until harvest.

Great Lakes 659 Lettuce Seeds

Schedule the harvest before hot weather

A crisphead lettuce must keep growing long enough to build a dense center. In many U.S. gardens, early spring and late summer sowings for fall harvest offer better conditions than planting into peak summer heat. Local climate matters more than a hardiness-zone number alone.

Count backward from the period when temperatures become consistently hot, allowing the packet’s 70–80 day estimate plus flexibility for cool or cloudy weather. In warm-winter regions, fall through early spring may be the main lettuce season. Our crisphead lettuce guide explains the difference between growing a head and taking loose leaves.

Sow shallowly and protect the seedbed

Prepare a fine, firm seedbed in well-drained soil. Sow seeds shallowly, about ⅛–¼ inch, and water with a gentle spray so they remain in place. A heavy crust or deep burial can make emergence difficult. Keep the surface moist until seedlings appear, typically around a week or somewhat longer.

You can also start a small number in cells about four weeks before transplanting. For a fall crop, a cooler indoor starting space may work better than a hot outdoor seedbed. Once seedlings emerge, give them strong light. Warm soil can suppress lettuce germination even if the seed is sound.

Thin for heads rather than a carpet of leaves

Thin plants to 12–18 inches apart. Crowding creates competition for water, nutrients and light, and leaves little room for heads to develop. Snip surplus seedlings at soil level when pulling them would disturb the plants you are keeping.

If transplanting, harden young plants gradually and set them at the same depth they grew in their cells. Keep the growing point above soil level. Water in gently. Space rows 18–24 inches apart or use an equivalent accessible bed layout. Do not wait until a dense planting has already stalled to make room.

Keep growth steady through heading

Water when the root zone begins to dry, before leaves repeatedly wilt. Lettuce roots occupy relatively shallow soil, so a dry surface can develop quickly in wind. Check actual moisture rather than relying on a calendar. Mulch between established plants while keeping damp material away from their crowns.

Use a soil test or a moderate labeled fertilizer program to support growth. More fertilizer cannot fix heat stress or overcrowding. Our lettuce watering guide can help you develop a routine that fits a bed or container.

Watch for heading problems and pests

A loose center can reflect immaturity, crowding or conditions that are too hot for good head development. An elongating stem signals bolting. Once the plant has committed to flowering, removing the stalk does not reliably restore a sweet, compact head.

Inspect folds and leaf undersides for aphids, and look for slugs if leaves have ragged holes. Browning leaf margins may be tipburn, a physiological disorder, rather than an insect problem. Identify the symptom before spraying. Keep beds free of decaying leaves and maintain airflow around the plants.

Harvest a firm head without waiting for splitting

Gently feel the center once heads approach the expected size. Harvest when it is firm enough for the texture you want but before the plant bolts or the head splits. Cut near the base with a clean knife, remove damaged outer leaves and cool the harvest promptly.

You can eat outer leaves earlier, but removing many of them reduces the leaf area building the head. For containers, choose a broad, draining pot at least 8–10 inches deep and allow the same spacing used in a bed. A small pot crowded with several plants is better suited to baby leaves than full crispheads.

Growing questions

Why is my Great Lakes 659 not making a head?

Check plant age, spacing and temperature. Crowding and hot weather can interfere with a firm head even when the outer leaves look healthy.

Can I harvest it like leaf lettuce?

You can take leaves, but repeated heavy picking works against your goal of a full head. Grow a separate loose-leaf patch if you want frequent leaf harvests.

Is it suitable for midsummer sowing?

Only when local temperatures allow germination and head development. In hot areas, start fall seedlings in a cooler location and transplant as conditions improve.

Ready for another planting? See Great Lakes 659 Lettuce Seeds for the current packet options.