September 2026: Prizehead Lettuce

This month’s seed kit features Prizehead Lettuce.

Prizehead Lettuce

A sweet-tasting, loose-leaf lettuce with large, crinkled leaves. Its light green leaves with a touch of maroon will add color and excitement to your salad.

Planting Instructions

Culture:

Thrives in cool spring and fall weather. Select an area with well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. If planting in the hotter inland areas, partial shade will be appreciated. Sow about 1/8 inch deep in rows spaced 1–2 feet apart and lightly pat down the soil. Thin after plants develop second leaves. Overcrowded lettuce can develop a bitter taste, so be sure to leave 6–8 inches between plants.

Water:

Keep soil moist, but not saturated, until seedlings emerge in 5-10 days. After that point, provide even moisture on a regular basis to prevent over-drying of soil.

Harvest:

Reaches maturity in 40–50 days but can be used as either baby or full-size lettuce. Best when harvested in the cool of the morning. Either cut the entire head just above the soil or harvest individual leaves as needed.

More About Prizehead Lettuce

Prizehead lettuce does not grow into heads like other lettuce varieties. The leaves are broad and curved and are light green with a red tint at the tips. Prizehead lettuce was presented in 1881 in popular seed catalogs.

The history of lettuce cultivation goes back as far as 5,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. They used the oil-rich seeds for cooking, medicine, and mummification. Over time, Egyptians bred lettuce with other leafy plants to make them less bitter. These varieties were later introduced to the Greeks and Romans. The Romans named the plant, “lactuca,” because of its milky white sap. This is where the English word, “lettuce,” originated. Lettuce then spread throughout Europe and as far east as China. Eventually, European settlers and explorers introduced lettuce into North America.

Prizehead lettuce is heat-tolerant and will not bolt—the point where a plant focuses on seed and flower growth—as easily. This flavorful variety is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, making this a healthy and tasty addition to your diet!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Serves: 6 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb. of ground chicken
1 tbsp. of olive oil
½ onion, minced
1 cup of bell peppers, diced
1 8 oz. can of water chestnuts, drained & minced
4 Prizehead or romaine lettuce leaves, washed
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp. of ginger powder
3 tbsp. of soy sauce
3 tbsp. of hoisin sauce
1 tbsp. of sesame oil
1 tbsp. of rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. of peanut butter
1 tbsp. of honey
2 tsp. of sweet chili sauce
½ tsp. of garlic powder

Instructions:

Add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside. Add a little water if peanut butter is too thick. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3–5 minutes, crumble the chicken as it cooks.
Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and water chestnuts and until peppers are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the sauce to the pan and mix with chicken and vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes and serve.
Serve in lettuce leaves. Add optional toppings. Optional toppings may include grated carrots, sesame seeds, green onion chopped, cilantro chopped, and chopped peanuts.

Craft: Salad Collage

You’ll Need:

Paper: leftover wrapping paper, colored tissue paper, craft/construction paper, magazines, stickers, whatever you have that makes you happy!
Scissors (with adult supervision), glue, markers
Optional: a paper plate or bowl

Instructions:

If you aren’t using a paper plate, you can use a bowl or plate to trace a circle on a sheet of paper, and cut around the traced line.
Next, let’s make our “Greens”! Cut “bite-sized” pieces of paper, green for preference but any color will do. Glue them to your plate as you go, you want enough to mostly cover your plate.
Let’s add some fun stuff to our salad! You can cut out pictures from the magazine or online printouts. You can cut shapes of vegetables, chicken, or airplanes! It’s your salad, you can put anything you like on it! Glue these pieces to your salad, and your masterpiece is complete!
You can hang it on the wall, on the fridge, or put it in the center of your table at dinner!