Little Gem lettuce is a compact variety in the Romaine (or Cos) family, prized for its small, perfectly sized heads and sweet, crisp texture. It combines the buttery mouthfeel of a butterhead with the crunch of Romaine, making it ideal for single-serving salads and grilling. This variety is popular with home gardeners because its small size suits containers and intensive planting, and it tolerates warmer temperatures before bolting. Little Gem matures quickly, often ready for harvest in 40 to 60 days, allowing for multiple plantings throughout the cool seasons.
Site Preparation and Timing
Little Gem lettuce thrives best in a location that receives full sun, meaning six or more hours of direct sunlight daily. In regions with intense summer heat, however, the plant benefits from partial afternoon shade to prevent premature bolting and bitterness. The soil should be loose, fertile, and rich in organic matter to support the lettuce’s shallow root system. A slightly acidic to neutral pH, ideally between 6.0 and 7.0, provides the best environment for nutrient uptake.
Before planting, incorporate compost into the top six inches of the bed to ensure good drainage and high fertility. Lettuce is a cool-season crop, performing optimally in temperatures between 60°F and 75°F. The best times for sowing are early spring, as soon as the soil is workable, and late summer for a fall harvest. Employ succession planting by sowing a small batch of seeds every two to three weeks to ensure a continuous harvest.
Sowing and Initial Thinning
Little Gem seeds can be started indoors three to four weeks before the last expected frost or direct-sown into the garden bed. For direct seeding, sow the seeds very shallowly, covering them with only about an eighth of an inch of fine soil, as lettuce seeds require light to germinate. The ideal soil temperature for germination ranges from 50°F to 72°F; temperatures above 75°F can inhibit sprouting. Keep the area consistently moist to encourage uniform germination, which typically occurs within seven to fifteen days.
Initial spacing should be two to three inches apart. Thinning the seedlings once they have developed their first set of true leaves is important for developing full, crisp heads. Thinning prevents overcrowding and stress, which can encourage premature bolting. The final desired spacing should be six to eight inches between plants to allow for proper air circulation and head formation.
To thin, use small scissors or snips to cut unwanted seedlings at the soil line rather than pulling them out, which can disturb the roots of remaining plants. The removed seedlings are edible and can be added to a salad bowl. If planting in rows, space the rows about twelve to eighteen inches apart for easy access for maintenance and harvesting.
Essential Maintenance
Consistent and shallow watering is necessary for growing sweet, tender Little Gem lettuce. Since the roots are shallow, they dry out quickly, and uneven moisture causes stress that can lead to bitterness and trigger bolting. Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged, which can lead to fungal diseases like root rot. Watering directly at the base of the plant in the morning helps keep the foliage dry and minimizes disease risk.
Applying a one to two-inch layer of organic mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves, around the plants helps regulate soil temperature and retain moisture. Lettuce is not a heavy feeder, but a light application of a balanced, nitrogen-heavy liquid fertilizer can be given every few weeks to encourage lush leaf development. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can lead to soft, weak growth that is more susceptible to pest damage.
Common pests include slugs, snails, and aphids, all attracted to the tender leaves. Slugs and snails can be managed organically by handpicking them in the evening or by using barriers like diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the base of the plants. For aphids, a strong spray of water from a hose can dislodge them, or they can be managed by encouraging natural predators. Floating row covers provide a physical barrier against many flying insects, including those that spread disease.
Harvesting Techniques
Little Gem lettuce offers flexibility in harvesting, allowing for two primary methods depending on the gardener’s preference. The “cut-and-come-again” method involves harvesting only the outer, lower leaves from each plant, leaving the central growing point, or heart, intact. This technique provides a continuous supply of fresh, baby-sized leaves over several weeks. When using this method, snip the outer leaves a couple of inches from the base with clean shears.
For a whole-head harvest, which yields the dense, fully-formed “gem” that the variety is known for, wait until the heads feel firm when gently squeezed and are about four to six inches tall. To harvest the entire head, cut the plant cleanly at the base, just above the soil line. Harvesting should be done promptly once the heads are mature, ideally before a prolonged period of high heat sets in, as this heat will cause the plant to bolt and the leaves to become bitter.
To maintain maximum crispness after harvest, it is beneficial to cut the lettuce in the morning when the leaves are fully hydrated. The harvested heads or leaves should be stored in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer, which is set to high humidity. Placing them in a perforated container or a plastic bag lined with a paper towel helps to balance the need for high humidity with adequate air circulation, keeping the Little Gem fresh for up to a week.