Iceberg Lettuce in the UK

[TrialAndError]

Has anyone ever has success with growing Iceberg lettuce (as they sell in the shops) in the UK? I've never seen a crop of them succeed nor have I ever heard of succeess.

I'm referring to the round ones seen in the supermarkets not the Iceberg-type ones sometimes advertised.

[Sheneval]

Trial,

Years ago before I extended the patio my wife used to grow them in a bed at the back door along with spring onions and used to pick as needed. I remember them as a very successful crop.

I had a try at growing them last year but with everything else I was growing getting the attention, neglected to look after them so results were poor. I will try and do better this year and stagger the sowings using pelleted seeds.

[rustylady]

Why would you want to? Horrid tasteless things in my opinion.

[WendyC]

Why would you want to? Horrid tasteless things in my opinion.

Well said. At college the science department kept African Land Snails. Even they didn't like iceberg. ( the snails not the science dept)

[bearded bloke]

As a balancing thought,it does make a good fresh crunchy base for a tossed salad or sweet coleslaw.

[Shadylane]

When I think of iceberg lettuce I think of that episode of 'Jamie doing something or other with his mates' where he and one of his mates were playing clay pigeon shooting with icebergs. Thought it quite apt. Sorry, this is not helpful at all.

[Bill HH]

Well I love em, crisp and crunchy and very refreshing on a hot summers day. I grew some this year with surprising success, the first batch were large tightly packed and very good, they didn'd do so well in the heat of mid summer but later batches did very well again. I have got some late ones in the green house now still slowly growing. If slugs hate them that can only be a bonus.
I have lost all respect for Jamie oliver for two reasons, his campaign against fat on meat (all the flavour is in the fat IMOP) and his rubbish salt grinder which fell apart on the first use.

[Scarlet]

I'm not a lover of the iceberg lettuce that you can find in the shops but I do grow (every year) an iceberg/crisp head type lettuce. Great Lakes (heritage variety) it's fabulous, slow to bolt. Tastes great and I can still just pick the "leaves" for sometime before it gets tightly packed. Well worth a try for you iceberg haters!!!

[Shadylane]

I have lost all respect for Jamie oliver for two reasons, his campaign against fat on meat (all the flavour is in the fat IMOP)

Eh??? When did this happen? He's always been an advocate of fat on meat... anyway back to icebergs. This summer one of the vets gave me one of his many lettuces, which he said was webbs wonderful, which is I think classed as an iceberg, though not like those you get from Mozzas and that was pretty good. If not humongous.

[andy_j]

Fairly quick and easy to grow, i usually sow 5 or 6 seeds a week throughout the summer just to give me a succession.

For something a bit different, try some mini icebergs that get to the size of tennis balls. I grow mine in pots or troughs Lettuce 'Mini Green Improved' (Iceberg/Crisphead) - Salad Seeds - Thompson & Morgan

[TrialAndError]

Thanks for those replies, food for thought.

"As a balancing thought,it does make a good fresh crunchy base for a tossed salad or sweet coleslaw."

And it is the only lettuce for Yuk Shung. Try to scoop up that delicious pork with a Winter Density leaf and you will end up starving!

I definitely believe that food is not only about taste - "you eat with your eyes" is an often quoted saying and it's very true. Texture is also crucial to many meals.

[Thelma Sanders]

It wouldn't do for us all to like the same things, now would it?

Real Seeds' Iceberg, Reine des Glaces, does well for me

[solway cropper]

Why would you want to? Horrid tasteless things in my opinion.

Most things that supermarkets sell are horrid and tasteless. There are plenty of 'iceberg' type lettuces that you can grow yourself that are infinitely preferable to shop-bought stuff. Having said that, I do find they are the most problematic of all lettuce types but I have had success with Great Lakes and another with a French name I can't remember.

[catgirl]

I love iceberg lettuce! They're so crisp and, well, watery but in a good way! In fact it's the only type of lettuce I eat, the others have too strong a taste for my like.

I tried to grow some in raised beds during the summer but they all got eaten by slugs. However I've still got some growing in the greenhouse now, and they are doing surprisingly well. I don't think they're going to go all the way to the fully grown stage, but they're perfect for picking leaves. It was my first year of growing them though, so hopefully with this year's experience I'll have a better year next year.