Sowing, growing, and using Crystal Lettuce
This special type of lettuce has firm, crunchy leaves that are not only super tasty in salads but also hold up well in hot dishes.
What is Crystal lettuce?
Crystal lettuce has a nice mild flavor but is just as crunchy as iceberg lettuce.
Ours is by far the tastiest iceberg lettuce I've ever eaten. And because it's a cross between iceberg and regular lettuce, it's also a lot healthier. Regular iceberg lettuce barely has any vitamins.
The leaves of this Crystal lettuce are large, nice and thick, light green in color, and have a beautiful curly edge. What's especially remarkable is that the thick leaves stay crunchy for a long time, even in hot dishes.
Since the head grows just like loose-leaf lettuce, you can harvest exactly the amount of leaves you need and leave the rest of the plant. It continues to grow from the inside out.
Ours is by far the tastiest iceberg lettuce I've ever eaten. And because it's a cross between iceberg and regular lettuce, it's also a lot healthier. Regular iceberg lettuce barely has any vitamins.
The leaves of this Crystal lettuce are large, nice and thick, light green in color, and have a beautiful curly edge. What's especially remarkable is that the thick leaves stay crunchy for a long time, even in hot dishes.
Since the head grows just like loose-leaf lettuce, you can harvest exactly the amount of leaves you need and leave the rest of the plant. It continues to grow from the inside out.
Nice to know: worldwide, McDonald's always serves their burgers with a leaf of iceberg lettuce. But since it doesn't grow well in warmer countries, they looked for a type of lettuce that 'matches the bite and taste' of iceberg lettuce but is easier to grow.
Plus, they wanted heads with lots of uniform leaves so they could serve many burgers with just one head of lettuce, and it also had to look nice.
This Crystal lettuce meets all their requirements. Since it can handle heat well, it stays crispy, and the frilly edge of the leaf makes the burgers look nicer and healthier.
Plus, they wanted heads with lots of uniform leaves so they could serve many burgers with just one head of lettuce, and it also had to look nice.
This Crystal lettuce meets all their requirements. Since it can handle heat well, it stays crispy, and the frilly edge of the leaf makes the burgers look nicer and healthier.
Vitamins and minerals in Crystal lettuce
Just like regular lettuce, Crystal lettuce doesn't have a ton of vitamins and minerals. But what's in it is good for our body and health. And every little bit helps, right?
It has a decent amount of vitamin A, and also some B11 and C, iron, and potassium. And lots of fiber: great for your digestion 🙂
It has a decent amount of vitamin A, and also some B11 and C, iron, and potassium. And lots of fiber: great for your digestion 🙂
More about the Crystal lettuce seeds from the Makkelijke Moestuin
This delicious lettuce variety grows quickly, does not bolt, and the heads get large and crisp leaves that remain firm even in hot and salty dishes.
Variety name: Crystal lettuce Lalique
Family: leaf
Number per square: 1
Height: 15 to 25 cm (front or middle row)
Pre-sowing: March to August
Sowing depth: 0.5 to 1 cm
Germination time: between 15 and 18°C in 2 to 8 days
Time to harvest: from 6-7 weeks
Sunlight: can be in both sun and shade
Note: these seeds are in clay pellets and are therefore quite expensive, but you can harvest loads of lettuce
What do you need to grow Crystal lettuce yourself?
To harvest as much and as quickly as possible, start by sowing indoors and only put the Crystal lettuce outside in your box when it's already a small plant.
For pre-sowing, you'll need this:
For pre-sowing, you'll need this:
- MM-voorzaaimix
- MM-airpotje (the small size)
- clear kitchen wrap
- Crystal lettuce seeds
Once the plant can go outside, you'll need this:
- a 30x30 cm section with a light, nutritious soil mix
- a spot with at least 6 hours of sunlight per day
In other words: an MM-mini, or a patch in one of our boxes, filled with Makkelijke Moestuinmix.
With this perfect soil mix, growing red Crispy lettuce is really super easy. If you grow on a poor quality (potting) soil, then it is more difficult and the results will be disappointing. So don't skimp on that and just go for the best.
With this perfect soil mix, growing red Crispy lettuce is really super easy. If you grow on a poor quality (potting) soil, then it is more difficult and the results will be disappointing. So don't skimp on that and just go for the best.
How do you sow and grow Crystal Lettuce?
This type of lettuce is in the free Makkelijke Moestuin app. If you use it, it'll guide you from seed to harvest.
Every vegetable goes through several stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and regularly checks if your plants are ready to move on to the next level.
So, you don't need to know how to successfully grow Crystal Lettuce beforehand. But if you're interested in reading up on it, I'll give you a sneak peek of the whole process now.
Every vegetable goes through several stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and regularly checks if your plants are ready to move on to the next level.
So, you don't need to know how to successfully grow Crystal Lettuce beforehand. But if you're interested in reading up on it, I'll give you a sneak peek of the whole process now.
Level 1: Sowing Crystal Lettuce Indoors
Crystal lettuce takes about six to seven weeks to grow from a seed into a plant that you can harvest for the first time.
In the first few weeks, they're still pretty vulnerable to bad weather and pests like slugs. That's why you start them indoors and plant the grown seedlings in your bed about 4 weeks later. This way, you can also make optimal use of your squares.
In the first few weeks, they're still pretty vulnerable to bad weather and pests like slugs. That's why you start them indoors and plant the grown seedlings in your bed about 4 weeks later. This way, you can also make optimal use of your squares.
Here's how you sow indoors:
- Fill 1 airpot with MM sowing mix
- Put 1 seed in the mix: 1 cm deep
- Cover the pot with a piece of clear plastic wrap
- Place the pot in a spot that's not too warm (between 15 and 18°C)
Level 2 and 3: Crystal lettuce seedlings on the windowsill
As soon as you see the seedling emerge, remove the plastic wrap and from that moment on, place it in a bright and cool spot. For example, on the windowsill of an unheated bedroom or in a cold greenhouse if you have one.
In the following weeks, keep the mix moist and rotate the pot a quarter turn every day. This prevents the seedling from growing crooked.
After about 3 weeks, the seedling will have grown into a small plant, and it's time for the next level.
Level 4-9: Getting used to the outdoors and transferring to the box
Got an empty patch in one of your garden boxes? Start letting the little plant adjust to the outdoor air in stages: put it outside for a bit each day, leaving it out a little longer each time. On the final day, let it stay outside all day, bringing it back inside just for the night.
The next day, it’s ready to go into the gardenbox. Get the root ball nice and moist, and place the plant in the center of your chosen spot, at the same depth it was in the pot.
Press the soil mix down gently around it, and you’re all set 😊
Level 5: verzorgen in je tuin en de eerste oogst
And then the little plant really starts to grow really well. Because about 12 days later, it already looks like this:
Level 10: Harvesting Crystal Lettuce
At this stage, about 7 weeks after sowing, the plant is ready for the first harvest.
Start harvesting as soon as the outer leaves are about 12-15 cm. Then the leaves have a really buttery taste. But even if the head is much larger, the leaves remain very tasty.
Cut or pick some leaves from the outside of the plant, close to the ground. Leave the heart of the plant so it can continue to grow from the inside.
This way, you can keep harvesting for up to 6 weeks.
Start harvesting as soon as the outer leaves are about 12-15 cm. Then the leaves have a really buttery taste. But even if the head is much larger, the leaves remain very tasty.
Cut or pick some leaves from the outside of the plant, close to the ground. Leave the heart of the plant so it can continue to grow from the inside.
This way, you can keep harvesting for up to 6 weeks.
Level 6: doorlopend oogsten
Uiteindelijk wordt de krop behoorlijk groot en verrassend stevig.
Oogst je telkens het buitenste blad - en niet de hele plant ineens - dan groeit de plant van binnen uit gewoon verder en kun je tot wel 6 weken blijven plukken.
Oogst je telkens het buitenste blad - en niet de hele plant ineens - dan groeit de plant van binnen uit gewoon verder en kun je tot wel 6 weken blijven plukken.
What do you use Crystal Lettuce for?
The name says it all: Crystal Lettuce is super tasty in all kinds of salads.
But because this lettuce is so pretty and even stays crispy when heated, it's also used a lot for garnishing, in sandwiches and burritos, on burgers, in stir-fry dishes - you name it 😀
But because this lettuce is so pretty and even stays crispy when heated, it's also used a lot for garnishing, in sandwiches and burritos, on burgers, in stir-fry dishes - you name it 😀
The next levels
During the next levels, keep harvesting the leaves of the Crystal Lettuce until the leaves become less tender and tasty.
At that point, harvest all the leaves - perfect for a stir-fry - and clear out the patch or your MM-mini and get it ready for the next vegetable.
At that point, harvest all the leaves - perfect for a stir-fry - and clear out the patch or your MM-mini and get it ready for the next vegetable.
So: what's stopping you from sowing and growing Crystal Lettuce yourself?
It's a tasty and easy veggie to grow, you can harvest it for a long time, and the leaves look fantastic.
If you regularly start seeds in a small pot, you'll always have some plants ready for the spots that become empty during the season. That way, you can enjoy it (almost) all year round.
Plus: our materials + app make it almost impossible to fail 😀
If you regularly start seeds in a small pot, you'll always have some plants ready for the spots that become empty during the season. That way, you can enjoy it (almost) all year round.
Plus: our materials + app make it almost impossible to fail 😀
Buy your Crystal Lettuce seeds here or put together a complete package:
Enjoy!