Lettuce

[veggiemad]

Hi everyone it's me again.

I planted my lettuce out in the garden a couple of weeks ago in a sunny spot. I have since read that lettuce prefer a cool shady spot. I need to plant the next batch out soon so not sure where to put them. The variety I'm growing is tom thumb and little gem.

Thanks

[Florence Fennel]

You've just answered your own question VM - somewhere cool and shady and give them plenty of slug protection, slugs just lurve lettuce as well as everything else.

[veggiemad]

This confuses me though as I remember my grandparents growing lettuce in full sun and it tasted amazing - not bitter at all as some suggest.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[Capsid]

Plenty of watering also helps to avoid a bitter lettuce.

[Tripmeup]

I usually start mine off in modules and keep them in a shaded spot once germinated..
When they reach a decent size to transplant, I usually bung them wherever there is room, be it a sunny (chance would be a fine thing) or shaded spot....
Works for me.....then the slug battle commences....

[Gemmalaveen]

I too plant my lettuces here there and everywhere, although I have very few shady spots in my garden so most of my lettuce plants are in full sun all day. Little Gem is one of my favourites to grow and so far I haven't noticed any bitter salads... I do water quite a bit though.

I am planning to plant the next batch in front of the runner beans - hopefully they will create a nice shady patch.

[taff]

they go where there's space usually, I don't plan the lettuce position, they just end up there...it's like magic

[Dead Dogs]

Well I've been growing mine on the window sill, in the greenhouse and in the poly. Tastes great from anywhere. Accutally have some from the GH now.

[chefgage]

Hi everyone it's me again.

I planted my lettuce out in the garden a couple of weeks ago in a sunny spot. I have since read that lettuce prefer a cool shady spot. I need to plant the next batch out soon so not sure where to put them. The variety I'm growing is tom thumb and little gem.

Thanks

I grow tom thumb lettuce every year in our raised beds, the beds are in full sun and the lettuce always grows well

[Two_Sheds]

I have since read that lettuce prefer a cool shady spot.

They're frequently referred to as a cool weather crop because they're pretty cold tolerant (some are very hardy) and because the seed won't germinate in high temps (in the 20s).

It grows OK in full sun though

[Chocolate8me]

Mine are doing fine in the greenhouse away from the slugs & other bugs that eat them.

They have needed watering twice a day though in this heat otherwise the leaves go a little limp.

My 'little gem' was planted 2 weeks ago & isn't big enough to pick yet (I want big leaves) but the lettuce mix I planted 3 weeks ago is perfect for picking so I've done something right

[dominic10]

My lettuce is grown in a tub and seems to be the only thing apart from the coriander which isn't wilting in the sun at the moment. And the slugs haven't found them yet...

[Pa Snips]

Interesting that, because I find lettuce is the first thing to wilt, but it always perks up later in the evening when the temperature drops.