Scarlet Frills
Brassica juncea
Wikimedia Commons
Spicy green and red, intricately lobed and ruffled leaves add flavor and loft to your salad mix. Slow bolting. Darker red in cooler weather.
Harvest
21d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
8–11
USDA hardiness
Height
12-18 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Scarlet Frills in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 lettuce →Zone Map
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Scarlet Frills · Zones 8–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | May – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | May – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | April – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | April – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | March – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | February – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | February – December |
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | June – 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
Scarlet Frills bolts fast once temperatures climb above 75–80°F, so succession sowing is worth the effort. Direct sow every 14 days starting in early March, and plan to stop new sowings by mid-May in most zones — once daytime highs are consistently above 80°F, the leaves turn sharp and the plants send up flower stalks quickly. Days to harvest is only 21, so a two-week cadence keeps you in steady supply without a glut.
Pick the season back up in late August or early September once nighttime temps drop below 70°F. Fall sowings often outperform spring ones — the flavor mellows and the leaves hold longer before bolting. In zones 9–11, fall and winter production is the main event; succession sow through November for harvests running into February.
Complete Growing Guide
Spicy green and red, intricately lobed and ruffled leaves add flavor and loft to your salad mix. Slow bolting. Darker red in cooler weather. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Scarlet Frills is 21 baby; 37 full size to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Cold Tolerant, Hydroponic Performer.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter. Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Scarlet Frills reaches harvest at 21 baby; 37 full size from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
Long pods with round, brown seeds. The fruits will dry and split when ripe. The seeds are harvested for use in condiments and oil.
Color: Brown/Copper. Type: Siliqua.
Garden value: Edible
Edibility: The leaves, seeds, flowers, and stems of this mustard variety are edible raw or cooked. Harvested leaves can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Storage & Preservation
Harvest Scarlet Frills at peak tenderness (around 21 days) and refrigerate immediately in a breathable container lined with damp paper towels, maintaining 32–36°F with 95% humidity. This variety typically holds 7–10 days before wilting noticeably. For longer preservation, blanch leaves briefly (2–3 minutes), shock in ice water, then freeze in airtight bags for up to three months, though texture becomes soft—best used in cooked dishes rather than fresh applications. Dehydration works well for this thin-leafed mustard; air-dry or use a dehydrator at 95–105°F until crisp, then crumble for seasoning blends or tea. Fermentation is also viable: layer shredded leaves with 2–3% salt by weight and let sit in a cool place for one to two weeks. The deeply frilled margins of this variety make it particularly prone to moisture loss at the edges, so avoid washing until just before use to minimize browning.
History & Origin
Scarlet Frills is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Russia to central Asia
Advantages
- +Spicy mustard flavor distinguishes it from mild salad lettuce varieties
- +Ornamental red and green coloring creates visually striking salad presentations
- +Quick 21-day harvest makes it ideal for succession planting
- +Slow bolting habit extends harvest window in warm seasons
- +Intricately ruffled leaves add appealing texture and volume to mixes
Considerations
- -Red coloring fades in hot weather reducing visual appeal
- -Thin delicate leaves bruise easily during washing and handling
- -Requires consistent moisture or leaves become tough and bitter
Companion Plants
Radishes are the most practical companion for Scarlet Frills. Direct-sown between rows, they germinate in 4–5 days and draw flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) off the mustard greens — the beetles will chew radish leaves to lace and largely ignore the frills. Marigolds (Tagetes patula) at the bed edges attract hoverflies whose larvae consume aphid colonies; they also emit terpenes that interfere with aphid host-finding. Chives and garlic work on a similar principle — sulfur compounds in their foliage confuse soft-bodied insects that locate hosts by scent.
Skip broccoli and any other brassicas as neighbors. They share the exact same pest and disease load as Scarlet Frills — clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae), flea beetles, cabbage loopers — so putting them side by side just doubles the target. Sunflowers aren't chemically incompatible, but they'll cast enough shade to stunt a low-growing cut-greens bed within a few weeks; keep them at least 24 inches away or give them their own row entirely.
Plant Together
Chives
Repels aphids and other pests while improving lettuce flavor
Carrots
Loosens soil for lettuce roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Radishes
Breaks up soil, deters flea beetles, and harvests before lettuce needs space
Marigolds
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes that damage lettuce
Spinach
Similar growing requirements and can be interplanted for succession harvests
Garlic
Natural pest deterrent that repels aphids and slugs
Nasturtiums
Trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, edible flowers add color
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs that prey on lettuce pests
Keep Apart
Broccoli
Heavy feeder that competes for nutrients and creates too much shade
Sunflowers
Allelopathic effects inhibit lettuce germination and growth
Tomatoes
Create excessive shade and compete for water, may stunt lettuce growth
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, powdery mildew
Troubleshooting Scarlet Frills
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapse at soil level within 7–10 days of germination, sometimes with a fuzzy white mold visible on the soil surface
Likely Causes
- Damping off — most commonly Pythium or Rhizoctonia spp. — a fungal/oomycete complex that thrives in cold, wet, poorly drained soil
- Overwatering or planting too early into cold soil below 50°F
What to Do
- 1.Pull the dead seedlings and check the roots: if the stem is pinched or rotted at the soil line, damping off is your answer
- 2.Improve drainage before re-sowing — raised beds or a coarse compost amendment help significantly
- 3.Don't re-sow into the same spot immediately; NC State Extension's IPM framework recommends treating the source (soil conditions) rather than just replacing the seedlings
Tiny round holes punched across young leaves, worst on seedlings under 3 inches tall
Likely Causes
- Flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) — small, shiny, fast-jumping beetles that feed heavily on brassica seedlings
- Dry, warm weather, which speeds flea beetle activity and slows plant recovery
What to Do
- 1.Cover seedlings with row cover (Reemay or similar) immediately after sowing — flea beetles find plants by sight and smell, and exclusion is the most reliable control
- 2.Keep soil consistently moist; stressed seedlings take much longer to outgrow the damage
- 3.If pressure is severe, spinosad-based sprays (OMRI-listed) applied in the evening will knock populations back without wiping out beneficial insects
Grayish-purple downy fuzz on the underside of leaves, with yellow patches on the upper surface
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Peronospora brassicae) — an oomycete that spreads in cool, humid conditions, especially when nights drop below 60°F and foliage stays wet
- Overcrowded planting that limits airflow between plants
What to Do
- 1.Strip and trash (don't compost) affected leaves as soon as you spot them
- 2.Water at the base of the plant, not overhead, and water in the morning so foliage dries before nightfall
- 3.Space plants at least 6 inches apart — the wider end of the recommended range — if you've had downy mildew in this bed before
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.