Catalogna Special
Cichorium intybus
Uniform strain. At baby-leaf stage, leaves are narrow with subtle spikes along the margins and a thin petiole. At full size, leaves are long, deep green, slender, and deeply cut with white midribs.
Harvest
35d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
3–8
USDA hardiness
Height
3-4 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Catalogna Special in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 lettuce →Zone Map
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Catalogna Special · Zones 3–8
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | May – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | April – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | February – December |
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | June – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | January – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | January – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | January – December |
Succession Planting
Direct sow every 14–21 days starting March 1 in zone 7, and keep going through early May. Catalogna bolts quickly once daytime highs push past 80°F and nights stay warm — in most of zone 7, that window closes by late May or early June. Pick it back up in late August for a fall run, sowing through mid-October; cooler nights slow bolting considerably and take some of the edge off the bitterness.
The 35-day days-to-harvest makes this one of the faster succession crops in the chicory family. A short 3-foot row sown every two weeks gives you a near-continuous cut without any single planting turning tough and sharp before you get to it.
Complete Growing Guide
Uniform strain. At baby-leaf stage, leaves are narrow with subtle spikes along the margins and a thin petiole. At full size, leaves are long, deep green, slender, and deeply cut with white midribs. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Catalogna Special is 35 baby; 48 full size to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Cold Tolerant.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky. Soil pH: Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally Dry. Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High, Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Catalogna Special reaches harvest at 35 baby; 48 full size from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
Brown oblong and 5-ribbed achene with blunt ends. The wider end has a bristles across the top.
Color: Brown/Copper, Cream/Tan. Type: Achene.
Edibility: Leaves can be used in salads or cooked to reduce bitter flavor. Roots can be dried and used as a coffee substitute.
Storage & Preservation
Catalogna Special keeps best in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator's crisper drawer, held at 32–40°F with 95% humidity. Expect 7–10 days of acceptable freshness; use within a week for peak crispness. The leaves will gradually wilt and develop rust spots beyond that window.
Freezing works adequately if you blanch the leaves for two minutes first, then ice-bath and dry thoroughly before bagging. Frozen Catalogna loses its raw crunch but holds up well in cooked dishes—soups and braised preparations especially. Drying is less practical given the high water content; fermentation isn't recommended due to the delicate leaf structure. For longer storage, consider preserving in oil if you have culinary experience, though this requires strict food safety attention.
A useful trick: harvest in early morning when the plant is fully hydrated, then immediately chill before storage. This significantly extends shelf life compared to afternoon harvests.
History & Origin
Catalogna Special is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Europe
Advantages
- +Excellent uniform strain ensuring consistent crop quality and appearance
- +Fast 35-day maturity allows multiple harvests per season
- +Attractive deeply cut leaves with white midribs command premium prices
- +Versatile for both baby-leaf and full-size mature harvesting
- +Easy cultivation makes it suitable for beginner growers
Considerations
- -Narrow slender leaves may result in lower total yield per plant
- -Deeply cut foliage increases susceptibility to mechanical damage during handling
- -Requires consistent moisture; prone to bolting in heat stress conditions
- -Thin petioles make leaves more fragile than heartier chicory varieties
Companion Plants
Chives and garlic are the most practical neighbors here — both mask the plant's scent profile in ways that confuse Myzus persicae (green peach aphid), which is the primary vector for lettuce mosaic virus, so that's a functional pairing rather than garden mythology. Radishes germinate in 5–7 days and mark the row while Catalogna is still threading up through the soil; as a side benefit, flea beetles tend to hit radish tops first and leave the chicory alone long enough for it to size up. Broccoli is the one to pull off the list — it roots at the same 6–8 inch depth as this variety and pulls hard on soil moisture during establishment, which can stall a plant that's trying to hit harvest in just 35 days.
Plant Together
Chives
Repels aphids and improves lettuce flavor while taking up minimal space
Carrots
Loosens soil for lettuce roots and doesn't compete for surface nutrients
Radishes
Breaks up compacted soil and deters flea beetles that can damage lettuce
Marigolds
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects
Garlic
Natural pest deterrent against aphids and slugs that commonly attack lettuce
Spinach
Similar growing requirements and can provide mutual shade in hot weather
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and adds beneficial insects to the garden
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs that control aphids on lettuce
Keep Apart
Broccoli
Heavy feeder that competes for nitrogen and can shade out lettuce
Sunflowers
Allelopathic compounds inhibit lettuce germination and growth
Walnut trees
Produces juglone which is toxic to lettuce and causes wilting
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346388)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Common Pests
Aphids, slugs, snails, flea beetles
Diseases
Lettuce mosaic virus, downy mildew, Botrytis (gray mold)
Troubleshooting Catalogna Special
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapse at soil level within the first 7–10 days after direct sowing — stems look pinched or water-soaked at the base
Likely Causes
- Damping off — typically Pythium or Rhizoctonia solani — thrives in cool, wet, poorly drained soil
- Overwatering or planting into soil with low drainage that stays saturated overnight
What to Do
- 1.Don't resow into the same spot until you've worked in coarse compost or perlite to improve drainage
- 2.Water in the morning so the soil surface dries by evening — damp overnight soil is where damping off wins
- 3.If you're starting in trays, use a sterile seed-starting mix and don't reuse trays from a previous diseased batch without washing them in a 1:9 bleach-to-water solution first
Leaves develop yellow-green mosaic mottling or puckering, sometimes with distorted new growth, plants stay stunted
Likely Causes
- Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) — transmitted by aphids, especially Myzus persicae (green peach aphid)
- Infected seed lot carrying the virus before it ever reached your garden
What to Do
- 1.Pull and bin infected plants immediately — they won't recover and they're a reservoir for aphids to spread LMV to neighboring rows
- 2.Knock back aphid pressure on nearby plants with a strong water spray or insecticidal soap before resowing
- 3.Source seed from suppliers who test for LMV — it's a real certification and worth asking about specifically for chicory and lettuce seed
White-gray downy coating on the undersides of leaves, upper surface shows pale yellow patches; most common during cool, humid stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) — a water mold that spreads by airborne spores when relative humidity stays above 85%
- Plants spaced tighter than 6 inches that trap moisture between leaves overnight
What to Do
- 1.Space to the full 6–8 inch recommendation so air moves through the bed freely
- 2.Strip affected outer leaves and put them in the trash — Bremia lactucae spores will cycle right back out of a compost pile
- 3.Switch to drip or base watering and run it in the morning; keeping leaf surfaces dry cuts spore germination considerably
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Catalogna Special lettuce take to grow?▼
Can you grow Catalogna Special lettuce in containers?▼
Is Catalogna Special good for beginners?▼
What does Catalogna Special lettuce taste like?▼
When should I plant Catalogna Special lettuce?▼
How is Catalogna Special lettuce different from regular romaine or butterhead?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.