Lettuce is easy to grow provided you stay away from hot weather. Seed germinate poorly if the temperature is much above the 60s and small plants have a high mortality if the temperature reaches the mid-80s. Wait until mid October to plant outside. I started some indoors in September using a system I described previously. Lettuce transplants very well. This year I am planting a number of varieties to add color and texture. My favorite varieties are black seeded simpson and Craquerelle di Midi, which evidently is the French name for Winter Density, a variety highly recommended by Bob Randall. Winter Density is somewhat between a romaine and a leaf lettuce. It does well, is tasty and has a good texture. Black Seeded Simpson makes a large leaf, is very productive over a long period and is a beautiful chartreuse green. This year I am adding some red varieties; Red Sails, Dark Lollo and Red Romaine. Also planted some green romaine, Jericho.
I usually raise lettuce as individual “specimen” plants and harvest the lower leaves. In a good talk given today by Ray Sher at the Urban Harvest fall harvest celebration for community gardeners, he said he likes to broadcast the seed and let the plants grow in a high density. He snips off the leaves about an inch above the ground when they are bite size. Ray says almost any variety will do well here except the iceberg varieties, but who would want to grow them anyhow.
Some seed sources say lettuce needs light to germinate, some say to cover lightly. I have tried both methods with success. Temperature and maintaining moisture seem to me to be the critical factors. A commercial seed producer has a good web site on lettuce germination. (Link). They recommend using seeds they “prime”, but when 300 seed cost only a dollar at Urban Harvest, you really don’t need 100% germination.
Lettuce makes a nice winter landscape plant also. By planting red, light green, dark green and speckled varieties like Red Sails you can make a bed as pretty as flowers you buy at the garden center.