Nope. It will create a stiff, upright head all on its own. No need for you to do anything to the plants. Great question!

In my experience, the white is a little better at attracting beneficial insects, but that’s not backed by any official research; just my own observations.

Yes, but often not as well as loose-leaf lettuce varieties.

The best way to determine the maturity of lettuce is to look at the “days to maturity” number on the seed packet. When that number of days has passed since you sowed the seeds, it’s time to harvest. Lettuce is forgiving though, so harvesting a little later is okay too, as long as you harvest before hot weather arrives.

Too much nitrogen in the soil can cause floppy seedlings, or not enough sun. However, know that all varieties of lettuce are kind of floppy when the plants are young. They’ll grow more sturdy as they mature.