Maira is a triple red oak leaf variety that is very well adapted to open field as well as hydroponic production. Holding ability is very good with a mild flavour. Maira can be grown all year round in areas with mild winter and summer climatic conditions. Avoid extreme heat conditions. The rosette is medium to small in size.
SPECIAL VARIETAL REQUIREMENTS
Widely adapted for year-round productions in mild climatic areas.
Does not tolerate extreme hot and cold conditions very well
CHARACTERISTIC*: MAIRA
KIND: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata L.)
TYPE: Red oak lettuce
MATURITY: Takes approximately 30 – 40 days from transplant to harvest
SEASON: Year round production
HEAD SIZE: Small to Medium
HEAD COLOUR: Triple red colour
BUTT CORE: Small
HEAD SOLIDITY: Loose
DISEASE: –
BOLTING REACTION: Slow
UNIFORMITY: Very good
LEAF COVER: Good
MARKETS / END USE: Suitable for hydroponic production, used in pillow packs for variation in colour and taste
POPULATION GUIDE:
Hydroponic production: 65 000 plants/ha
Open field production: 55000 plants final stand per ha
SPECIAL FEATURES: Very dark red oak leaf, can be grown under protection and open field

GROWING LETTUCE FROM SEED
Choose the right varieties and you can have lettuce almost all year round. There are
so many types of lettuce to choose from – all with different colours, flavours and
textures – that salad need never be boring! There are two main types of lettuce –
hearting lettuces have a dense centre, while loose-leaf lettuces have open leaves
and no heart. You can also grow a variety of salad leaves that can be picked while
young and tender.
Grow lettuces in full sun on moisture-retentive soil. In some parts of the country
early and late sowings may need protection against cold, using cloches, plastic
tunnels or horticultural fleece. All these types of protection will be available at
garden centres.
There are several different types of hearting lettuces:
ï‚· Butterhead lettuces have an open habit, are quick-maturing and tolerate
poorer growing conditions.
ï‚· Cos types have an upright growth habit and oblong head.
ï‚· Crisphead types produce large hearts of curled and crisp leaves and are
more resistant to bolting (going to seed prematurely); this group includes
iceberg lettuces.
Sow a short row every fortnight to ensure continuity of cropping. Sow seed thinly
13mm deep in rows 30cm apart.
You could also grow lettuces in grow bags or containers – follow the sowing
timings and spacings as below.
Time of sowing depends on when the crop is wanted:
ï‚· For a summer/autumn crop: sow outdoors from late August. For an even
earlier crop, sow indoors in early August in seed trays and plant out in early
September.
ï‚· For an early winter crop: sow outdoors in early Autumn and cover the plants
with closed cloches before the first frost.
High soil temperatures in summer can prevent some cultivars from germinating.
Sow in the evening, water with cold water and provide some shade to keep
temperatures down.
