Marvel of Four Seasons

Family: Asteraceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Marvel of Four Seasons to a garden.

Marvel of Four Seasons unfolds into tender, butter-soft heads with a fresh, sweet-green flavor and a delicately crisp bite at the core.

At about 50 days, its rounded, spooned leaves form a lush rosette that stays pleasantly mild and never turns harsh, making it a standout for steady, season-spanning harvests. Grow it for salads and elegant leaf-forward dishes where its velvety texture shines—especially when you want a butterhead that looks as good as it tastes.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Rosette

Botanical illustration of Marvel of Four Seasons

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Marvel of Four Seasons Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	May 4th	May 25th	Jul 14th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	May 18th	Jul 7th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	May 8th	Jun 27th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	May 8th	Jun 27th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	May 12th	Jul 1st – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	May 8th	Jun 27th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	May 6th	Jun 25th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	May 1st	Jun 20th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	Apr 27th	Jun 16th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	Apr 24th	Jun 13th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Apr 18th	Jun 7th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Apr 13th	Jun 2nd – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Apr 3rd	May 23rd – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	Mar 25th	May 14th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	Mar 16th	May 5th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	Feb 27th	Apr 18th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	Feb 2nd	Mar 24th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
Sun Requirements	Part Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	40
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	30
Harden Off (days)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

A butterhead built for consistency: spoon-soft leaves with just enough core snap to survive a quick toss, without drifting into bitterness. It’s at its best when kept mild—let lemon, olive oil, and a salty, fatty partner (bacon or goat cheese) do the heavy lifting.

Best Uses

chilled spring salads where the leaves act like edible “drapes” under vinaigrette
leaf-forward sandwiches (think soft rolls) that won’t overpower the filling
simple dressed bowls—olive oil + lemon + flaky salt—so the core stays crisp and bright

Flavor Profile

sweet, fresh-green flavor butter-soft leaves with a tender, spoonable bite mild finish that stays non-bitter

Kitchen Pairings

lemon olive oil crusty bread goat cheese eggs bacon

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common problem on Lactuca sativa (leaf lettuce) and how do I treat it?

A frequent issue is downy mildew (often triggered by cool, damp weather), which shows as pale yellow patches on leaves and a fuzzy gray/white growth on the underside. Remove badly infected leaves immediately and improve airflow by spacing plants and watering at the soil line (not overhead). If it keeps spreading, use a labeled fungicide approved for lettuce/leaf vegetables and repeat according to the label.

How often should I water Lactuca sativa during the main growing phase?

During the 40–50 day growing period, keep the top 1–2 inches of soil consistently lightly moist—lettuce roots are shallow and dry spells quickly cause bitterness and bolting risk. Water deeply enough to wet the root zone, typically about 2–3 times per week depending on heat, with more frequent watering during warm, windy weather. Avoid soggy soil; overly wet beds also increase mildew risk.

How do I know when my Lactuca sativa is ready to harvest?

Harvest when leaves are fully expanded but before the plant bolts—most leaf types are ready around 50 days from sowing, though you can start earlier with “baby leaf” cuts. For full-sized leaves, pick in the morning when leaves are crisp and while the outer leaves are the largest and most tender. If the center starts forming a tall stem or leaves turn noticeably bitter, harvest immediately to avoid low-quality heads/leaf flavor.