Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Asteraceae
Native
Unknown; lettuce has been in cultivation for a long time.
Life Cycle
Annual
Plant Height
Short (Under 12")
Further Information
Plant Characteristics
- Good for Containers
- Pelleted
Growing Conditions
Frost Tolerant
Plant Resistance
- Downy Mildew Resistant
- Lettuce Mosaic Virus Resistant
About Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Glossy, upright, cherry-red leaves with a green midrib. 'Truchas' is a miniature, romaine-type lettuce with resistance to downy mildew, lettuce die-back, and lettuce mosaic virus.
Planting Lettuce
Plant Spacing
1 seed every 8"
Light Required
Full sun to part shade
Plant Height
Short (Under 12")
Planting Depth
1/8"–1/4"
Coverage & Planting Details
| Coverage | This packet sows up to 16 feet. |
|---|---|
| Row Spacing | 10" |
| Seed Depth | 1/8"–1/4" |
| Seed Spacing | 1 seed every 8" |
| Thinning | Not required |
| Germination | 5–10 days |
| Start Indoors | RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, and in summer when soil temperatures are too warm (above 80°F) to germinate lettuce seed. |
| Direct Sow | 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 40°F, ideally 60°–70°F. Successive Sowings: Every 3 weeks until 4 to 6 weeks before your average first fall frost date. Mild Climates: Sow in fall and winter for cool season harvests. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Harvest in the morning, by cutting off at ground level. If regrowth is desired, cut the leaves higher, at 2". For a continual supply, outer, individual leaves can be harvested at any stage of maturity, but leave at least half of the plant for regrowth. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 14 Total 4 star reviews: 3 Total 3 star reviews: 1 Total 2 star reviews: 2 Total 1 star reviews: 3
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
23 reviews
- Laura K.Rated 5 out of 5 stars1/18/26The BEST lettuce!
Absolute best lettuce I have ever grown. Please don't ever discontinue these seeds! East to plant and no disease issues, look beautiful in the garden when growing, delicious taste and easy to clean.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests1/19/26Hey Laura,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such an amazing review of our Truchas Mini-Romaine Lettuce Seeds! We're absolutely thrilled to hear that this is the BEST lettuce you've ever grown - that's incredible! We love hearing about the easy planting, disease resistance, beautiful garden appearance, and delicious taste. It sounds like these seeds are truly delivering everything a gardener could want in lettuce! Don't worry, we have no plans to discontinue these fantastic seeds - they're clearly a winner! Thank you for choosing us and for sharing your growing success with us. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Kristen H.Verified BuyerRated 2 out of 5 stars10/27/25Didn’t germinate
Unfortunately they did not germinate.
Which best describes you as a gardener? ExpertBIBotanical Interests10/29/25Hey Kristen,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Robert V.Verified BuyerRated 3 out of 5 stars10/15/25Hoping for more
Only planted three for now but only two germinated. Hoping I get a better germination rate in the future. First time planting a pelleted seed though.
Which best describes you as a gardener? ExpertBIBotanical Interests10/26/25Hey Robert,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with Truchas Mini-Romaine Lettuce Seeds! We really appreciate your honest feedback about the germination results, and we totally understand wanting to see better rates - two out of three is definitely a start, but we know you're hoping for even more success with your remaining seeds!
It's exciting that this was your first time trying pelleted seeds! The pelleting process does make handling so much easier, especially with those tiny lettuce seeds, and we're hopeful that as you get more familiar with pelleted seed planting, you'll see those germination rates improve. Sometimes it's all about getting that perfect balance of moisture and timing with the pellet coating!
We're really glad you're giving Truchas Mini-Romaine another shot - this variety is such a fantastic choice for those perfect little heads with amazing crisp texture and sweet flavor. Your first pelleted seed experience and honest feedback will be so helpful for other gardeners who are also trying pelleted seeds for the first time and want to know what to expect!
Keep on growing 🌻️
- GabbyVerified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars10/8/25Did Not Sprout
The seeds upon arrival were crumbly and I planted them with brand new soil in new beds. Great cool weather conditions. All other fall seeds sprouted except these. Very disappointed.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests10/10/25Hey Gabby,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Kay B.Verified BuyerRated 4 out of 5 stars10/2/25Truchas lettuce
This my second year to grow Truchas purple romaine. it's beautiful in salads! I was very disappionted that I purchased a package of 36 seeds but only 18 seeds were in the envelope. I took a photo of the 36 seed package with my 18 seeds in my cell trays. (Truchas seeds are large and white, easy to see) I emailed photo to BI Customer service asking them to replace with a new seed package, TWICE, and haven't heard from them.
Which best describes you as a gardener? ExpertBIBotanical Interests10/2/25Hey Kay,
Thank you so much for your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear about your experience and wanted to let you know that our Customer Success team did reach out to you several times but unfortunately never received a reply. It’s possible our messages may have landed in your spam or junk folder, and we sincerely apologize if that caused any confusion or frustration. We’d still love the chance to help make this right—please feel free to reach out to us directly, and we’ll be more than happy to assist you. Keep on growing 🌻️