Green Deer Tongue
Also known as: Deer Tongue
What's special about Green Deer Tongue
Heirloom looseleaf with pointed triangular leaves — heat-tolerant, mild, holds in the row.
Growing this variety
Green Deer Tongue follows the same growing basics as Lettuce. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Lettuce family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Press seed onto surface, barely cover with vermiculite. Keep cool and moist. Succession sow every 2 weeks for a rolling harvest.
Grower's tip
Bolt-resistant varieties (Jericho, Muir) for summer growing.
Soil preferences
Rich, moisture-retentive loam.
6.0–7.0
Compost + a light nitrogen source (blood meal, aged manure) — greens are all leaf, so they want nitrogen.
Watering
Consistent — 1 in per week minimum, more in heat. Uneven water triggers bolt.
Overhead is fine in the morning; drip is best in humid climates.
Overwatered: soft rot at the crown, yellow lower leaves. Underwatered: bitter flavor, tough leaves, premature bolting.
Either works — Top-water is fine — greens enjoy a gentle morning overhead rinse to cool the crown. Bottom-water indoor seedlings and microgreen trays to prevent damping-off. Skip evening overhead water.
Temperature tolerance
60–70°F (15–21°C) — bolts above 75°F (24°C)
40–55°F (4–13°C)
Tolerates light frost; some varieties (Winter Density, Rouge d'Hiver) overwinter under row cover in zone 6+.
Container growing
Yes — great in containers
6–8 in deep, any width; a window box works
Perfect for pots and hydroponics; cut-and-come-again mixes give weeks of harvest per sowing.
Succession planting
Every 10–14 days spring and fall. Skip midsummer or use shade cloth + heat-resistant varieties.
Detailed harvesting
Cut outer leaves and let the crown keep producing (cut-and-come-again), or cut the whole rosette 1 in above the crown for a fresh flush.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Rinse, spin dry, and store in a sealed bag with a paper towel in the crisper 5–7 days. Blanch and freeze for cooking greens.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Salads, sautés, smoothies, soups. Bitter or overgrown leaves are best cooked, not raw.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Lettuce is self-pollinating; spinach is wind-pollinated; brassica greens (kale, arugula, mustard) are insect-pollinated and cross freely.
Lettuce 20 ft; spinach 1/2 mile; brassicas 1/4 mile or cage.
Let a robust plant bolt; harvest dry seed stalks; rub clean; store dry.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for lettuce in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Green Deer Tongue Lettuce notes
Green Deer Tongue Lettuce seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
From your kitchen — grow lettuce from what you already have
Let one plant bolt (send up its flower stalk) — a single bolted lettuce gives thousands of seeds.
- 1Leave a lettuce plant to flower. Yellow dandelion-like blooms open, then close into fluffy white 'parachutes' 2–3 weeks later.
- 2Once about half the flower heads are fluffy, cut the whole stalk and drop it upside-down into a paper bag.
- 3Shake vigorously; seeds fall out with the fluff. Winnow the chaff by tipping through a sieve or blowing gently.
- 4Store dry. Sow in cool weather next spring or fall.
Storage: 3 years dry.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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