You’ll need to protect the planting area with floating row covers or some mesh to prevent the birds from making off with the seeds.
Transplanting
Whether you find seedlings at the store or you start your own, when it comes time to put them in the ground, start by prepping the soil.
Dig down about six inches and work in a bunch of well-rotted compost. Then, dig a small hole for each plant, with a foot between them.
Gently remove the seedling from its growing container and set it in the hole that you dug. Don’t bury it any deeper than it was in the growing container.
Firm the soil up around the base and water in well.
How to Grow
Lettuce lends itself nicely to growing in containers, and I particularly love oak leaf types for pots.
I keep a container of oak leaf and arugula on my patio for snagging leaves as I’m cooking.
So long as you have a container with good drainage, some water-retentive potting soil, and a spot to put it in, you can grow ‘Oscarde.’
If you lack space, the weather isn’t right, or you just want the convenience of a close food option, you can also grow your lettuce indoors.
Light
‘Oscarde’ should be planted in full sun. A little afternoon shade during the hottest part of the day won’t go amiss, but too much shade will stunt the plant and result in leggy growth.
Soil
Like all lettuce, this cultivar needs loose, organically-rich, moisture-retentive soil that’s also well-draining. It should have a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5.
Water
Keep the soil moist at all times. It should feel like a well-wrung-out sponge and if it starts to dry out, provide more water right away. If it feels soggier, though, don’t water.
These plants have shallow roots, so it’s a delicate balance.
When the surface of the soil starts to dry out, there’s a risk the roots will dry out, which means stress for the plant and potential bolting or bitterness.
Fertilizing
Those shallow roots also can’t dig down deep for nutrients, so you’ll want to provide them with an organic fish emulsion fertilizer every two weeks.
This isn’t strictly necessary if you have rich soil and you amended with plenty of compost at planting time.
It’s always best to do a soil test to see if your soil is depleted and amend accordingly.
Assuming your soil needs feeding, use something like Neptune’s Harvest fish fertilizer to keep your lettuce growing big and strong.
Neptune’s Harvest Fish Fertilizer
Arbico Organics carries this product, which has an NPK ratio of 2-4-1, in a variety of sizes.
While ‘Oscarde’ doesn’t enjoy the popularity of some other lettuces, it’s not exactly rare, either.
I find packets every spring at my favorite plant nurseries. You can also order them online and have them conveniently delivered to your house.
‘Oscarde’
True Leaf Market carries this cultivar and lots of excellent seeds that you can’t always find locally and I’ve always enjoyed a high germination rate with their seeds, which isn’t something I can say about all rare seed sellers.
Pests and Disease
The rapid pace at which lettuce grows and matures can be both a blessing and a curse.
There’s less time for problems to develop or for pests to find your plants, but if infection or infestation happens, they can cause rapid damage.
Herbivores
Deer, rabbits, mice, and voles will mow through a lettuce patch faster than you can say “salad bar.”
For deer and rabbits, fencing will be your best friend. If you are constantly dealing with mice and voles, a tall container is going to be the way to go.
I find that fighting mice and voles in the ground is a losing battle.
