Tips for Growing ‘Nevada’ Lettuce

Lactuca sativa ‘Nevada’

‘Nevada’ lettuce is named for a hot, dry state, which gives us a hint that this French crisp type withstands summer heat without bolting.

So whether you live in the hot desert or a more accommodating climate, you can enjoy this sweet head lettuce.

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The apple-lime green, crunchy leaves have a crisp snap and a mild, nutty flavor in large, loose heads.

The glossy, thick leaves have a gorgeous ruffled shape with a crunch that is tempered by the smooth, buttery texture.

All types of lettuce are pretty easy to grow and ‘Nevada’ isn’t going to break with that tradition.

In fact, it’s easier to cultivate if you live in a hot region than many other types. If you’re ready to add ‘Nevada’ to your vegetable garden, let’s dig in!

Here’s what I’ll cover:

‘Nevada’ is a French crisp, summer crisp, or Batavian type. These types of lettuce originated in the 1600s in what is modern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Since then, there have been hundreds of cultivars bred out of the original summer crisp.

In the early 1900s, American growers started refining their own cultivars better adapted to local growing climates, including ‘Nevada.’

The thick leaves have a distinctly crisp crunch, with a buttery texture. ‘Nevada’ has large, open heads that resist tip burn and bolting.

How to Sow

Similar to all other lettuces, you have the option for starting the plants from seed or by purchasing seedlings.

From Seed

Start the seeds just before or right after the last predicted frost date in your region. Ideally, the soil should be about 40°F and not any colder when you sow the seeds.

You can also start them in the late summer about two months before the first predicted frost.

In fact, you can succession sow every two weeks throughout the growing season with a break during the hottest months if the temperatures climb above 85°F regularly.

Thin them to about six inches apart.

Transplanting

So long as it isn’t super hot, like over 85°F, or super cold, like well below freezing, you can transplant seedlings in the ground.

You can even grow ‘Nevada’ during the winter in areas where the soil doesn’t freeze solid.

Remove the seedling from the growing container and set the lettuce in the hole.

Firm the soil up around the plant and water well.

How to Grow

Generally, summer crisp or Batavian types are happiest in cooler climates.

Climate and Temperature

As mentioned, this cultivar tolerates warmer weather and won’t bolt in the summer heat, while also retaining its flavor and crispness.

Grow ‘Nevada’ in full sun or a bit of afternoon shade – aim for about six hours of direct sunlight.

If you live in a hot region, grow your lettuce somewhere that is shaded during the afternoon heat.

Or, somewhere that you can easily place some shade cloth to protect the plants during the hottest part of the day.

Soil

This cultivar thrives in loose, organically-rich, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5.

Water

Keep the soil consistently moist and don’t let any weeds grow in the area. A thick layer of straw mulch can help suppress weeds and retain moisture.

Companion Planting

Avoid growing lettuce near brassicas as they share some nasty pests and diseases. But calendula, carrots, cilantro, parsnips, and radishes are all fine.

Alliums, marigolds, and nasturtiums also make good companion plants for lettuce because they help deter some of the bugs that feed on your greens.

Fertilizing

There’s no need to fertilize lettuce if you worked in compost when you planted, but feel free to side-dress with well-rotted manure a few weeks after planting if you want.

Where to Buy

‘Nevada’ is extremely popular because it’s so resilient and tolerant of a range of conditions. That’s why you’ll find it at so many retailers.

‘Nevada’

I source my seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds because all of their seeds are organic and they sell them in a huge range of quantities, from 500 to five million seeds.

Or you can find conventional seeds in quantities ranging from one gram to 25 pounds at True Leaf Market.

Managing Pests and Disease

As with all lettuces, rabbits and deer think of them as their personal salad buffet. Fencing or protective cloches can help keep them away.

It’s a fact of life that pests are also going to want a bite of your lettuce. Aphids, beetles, caterpillars, fungus gnats, slugs and snails all feed on lettuce.

I find that slugs and snails are my biggest foe and they especially love to burrow into the space between the leaves. I use a bread slurry trap to keep mollusks out of my vegetable patch.

Researchers Robin Veasey, Maria Cordoba, Andrew Colton, Rory McDonnell, and Leonard Fujimoto at Oregon State University found that bread dough is more attractive than anything else they tested for attracting slugs.

They published their findings in the journal Insects in 2021. 

Me and my fellow Master Gardeners hand out yeast and a bread dough recipe at events to help encourage gardeners to give it a try.

 For all the other potential pests, check out our guide to lettuce pests.

‘Nevada’ is moderately resistant to downy mildew, lettuce mosaic virus and extremely resistant to bottom rot.

That doesn’t mean that it can’t be infected by any of these diseases, but it’s far less common and the plant is less likely to suffer from serious symptoms.

Watch out for bacterial leaf spot, which you can learn about in our guide to lettuce diseases. ‘Nevada’ is susceptible to leaf spot, which causes black lesions on the outer leaves.

Harvesting

The mature heads are ready for harvest after 48 to 55 days. But you can actually cut off the baby heads at four weeks and the plant will grow a second head in another six weeks.

You can cut the leaves as needed throughout its lifespan, or harvest the entire head using a sharp knife to cut through the stem at the base, as close to the soil as possible.

Enjoy Those Summer Salads

Not all lettuces are the same, and I don’t just mean that there’s a difference between iceberg and buttercrunch.

Even among the French crisp types there are attributes that make each cultivar unique. ‘Nevada’ has a lot going for it that sets it apart from the rest.

What draws you to this cultivar? Are you in a hot, dry region? Or just love summer crisps and want to grow one of the best? Let us know what you love about ‘Nevada’ and how you plan to use it in the comments section below.

And for more information about growing lettuce in your vegetable garden, add these guides to your reading list next:

• Tips for Growing Ice Queen Lettuce
• How to Plant and Grow ‘Winter Density’ Lettuce
• How to Plant and Grow Parris Island Cos Lettuce