Growing Winter Lettuce for All the Year Round Harvesting.

Don't forget to add a few 'different' lettuce to your list!

Plant lettuce for all year round cropping - especially the Winter months.

Lettuce can be harvested throughout the whole year - easier if you have an unheated greenhouse or coldframe (which can be easily made!

Lettuce 'Little Gem' is the mainstay of all year round crops. It can be harvested from Spring right the way through until Autumn - so should be an integral part of your plan for all year round lettuce crops. The first sowings - in greenhouse or under cloche - can be carried out in February - to be planted out in May and then ready for cropping in June. Carry on sowing at intervals to suit (this can be done direct into the cropping positions) throughout the summer - no later than end of August.

September and October sowings can be made in the greenhouse - or under a cloche in warmer areas - and these will be ready for cropping in April and May the following year.

Lettuce Winter Crop and Winter Density, are two hardy types that can be sown outdoors in August - September, and can be left out through the winter to be harvested in March and April. Sow and grow a few in the cold greenhouse to crop on Christmas day - before and after! 'Dandie' is also good for winter crops, but best grown in unheated greenhouse for the winter months.

There are many choices of lettuce for all year round cropping. Summer is still the most important time for lettuce of course, so don' forget to brighten up the salad bowl with a few unusual lettuce such as that above, or even start a few reds and bronzes!