winter lettuce

[dawndaisy]

I keep seing references to winter lettuces on the forum, and would like to try some on my newish allotment.

Can anyone tell me What varieties work well for them?If I sow this week, when would they be ready to eat? Sow in modules first, or direct? should I put them under a cloche?

Hope you can help
Dawn

[Florence Fennel]

Not sure about seed Dawn, but you can buy little plants on line. There are lots of winter lettuce varieties, some that are very hardy outside, some you would have to cloche and some you can grow in a greenhouse. Have a browse. I'm sure someone will come along and tell you about seed sowing soon.

[Bren In Pots]

I grow 'all the year round' and Arctic king lettuce both are supposed to be hardy but I grow them in my greenhouse border but there's no reason why they wouldn't survive under cloches..

[dawndaisy]

Thanks-Ill have a look online. When do you sow your winter lettuces, Bren?

[Bren In Pots]

I sow them the last week in August and leave them outside until my tomatoes are out of the border thats usually the end of October. I do plant my spares outside and I get a fairly good crop of them as well so long as we don't get too much snow.

[Florence Fennel]

October sowing lettuces that are happy in cooler conditions include Barba dei Frati, Catalogna Verde, Lakeland, Marvel of Four Seasons, Meriviglia D’Inverano San Martino and Valdor. Be ready to give them protection of cloches or fleece as the autumn draws to a close.

This is from MoreVeg Dawn and they sell seeds in small quantities.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'm still sowing this mix from Seeds of Italy Seeds of Italy - MISTICANZA MIXED SALAD PACK
and Lettuce Parella Rossa, some outside, which I will cloche later and some in the greenhouse border

[northepaul]

Winter Density and Little Gem, but you may well need to buy small plants now as its getting a bit late for seeds. Cloche with fleece when it gets a bit chillier.

[Two_Sheds]

I have Rusty that self-seeds every year, and Winter Gem too. I don't cloche them

[dawndaisy]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Im going to look online for young plants, and if that fails, its off tonthe garden centre on a seed hunt with a list of all the names youve all suggested. Thanks for your help.
Dawn

[Jono]

The oriental varieties are worth checking out too. Mibuna is great, really hardy.

I've also found radiccio to be very hardy as well. Only the snow killed it off last year.