Description
AN UPRIGHT ROMAINE FOR THE SALAD BOWL
Make room for a full romaine head.
Parris Island Cos is a green romaine with an upright habit. It suits gardeners who want a larger whole-head harvest and are willing to give the crop a longer cool-weather window. Plan on about 65–70 days from sowing for mature heads rather than using that date for the first small leaf you can pick.
Choose it for: Romaine salads, crisp leaves, and beds with enough spacing for each plant to develop.
FROM PACKET TO GARDEN
Plan backward from cool harvest weather.
Choose spring or fall.
Aim to finish the head crop before sustained heat. In a short spring, a young indoor transplant can help with timing; use local conditions to choose the outdoor date. [3]
Sow shallowly.
Plant about ⅛ inch deep in a fine seedbed or starting mix. Keep the surface gently moist until seedlings establish.
Give every head a place.
Thin or transplant to about 12 inches between plants. Keep labels visible so you can distinguish this longer head crop from quicker leaf-lettuce batches. [1]
Seed generally emerges in about 7–14 days in suitable cool conditions. The 65–70-day head estimate begins at sowing and changes with temperature, establishment, and harvest size.
SMALL DECISIONS, BETTER HARVESTS
Practical growing tips
Choose leaves or heads deliberately.
A few outer leaves can be picked while the center grows. If full heads are the goal, avoid removing much of the plant along the way. [2]
Inspect the center before waiting longer.
An extending flower stalk changes the harvest window. Do not keep a ready plant simply to meet the printed day count. [2]
Keep head space open.
Remove small weeds before they hide between the plants. Work near the surface with care around the shallow roots. [3]
Keep a second sowing separate.
Label the next batch with its own date. A younger group makes it easier to use heads in sequence than one large planting that matures together. [3]
FIT THE CROP TO YOUR GARDEN
Add a quicker leaf harvest when it fits.
Red Sails provides loose red-tipped leaves and a shorter mature-plant estimate. Give the two varieties separate labels and harvesting plans. Start with the complete lettuce growing guide if you are deciding between young leaves, repeated picking, and full heads.
A FEW THINGS WORTH KNOWING
Before you plant.
Are cos and romaine different crops?
They are two names for the same upright lettuce type. Parris Island Cos is a named cultivar within that group.
Can I harvest before a full head forms?
Yes. Pick usable young leaves or a small plant if that suits the meal. Keep the center intact when you want the plant to continue producing leaves. The harvest guide explains the choices. [2]
Can I save seed from this variety?
Yes, with a healthy plant allowed to flower and mature seed. That plant needs more time and space than a salad crop. Read how to save lettuce seed before reserving a plant. [1]
PLAN YOUR PLANTING
Count planting spaces before sowing.
Read the Parris Island Cos growing guide for a head-growing plan. Use small successive lettuce plantings to spread the harvest. Check the lettuce problem guide if leaves or growth look unusual.
Packet quantity is a seed count, not a guaranteed plant count. Planting figures are planning guides; weather, site, and care shape the crop.
Growing references
These references support the general growing guidance. Cultivar figures are planning estimates and are not a trial of a Hollowstead seed lot. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
- Seed Savers Exchange — Growing lettuce. Germination, spacing, and seed saving.
- University of Minnesota Extension — Growing lettuce, endive, and radicchio. Leaf harvest and responses to heat.
- University of Maryland Extension — Growing lettuce in a home garden. Season, succession planting, and care.
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