Lamb's lettuce
How do I sow lamb's lettuce outdoors?
To grow lamb's lettuce outdoors naturally, we recommend sowing the seeds in late summer or early autumn, when temperatures start to drop. Prepare the soil by clearing it of weeds and levelling it. No fertiliser is needed, as lamb's lettuce is not a demanding plant. Space the seed rows 10 to 15 cm apart and sow the seeds 1 to 2 cm deep. Cover the seeds lightly with soil and press down gently. Water regularly to keep the soil moist, but take care not to over-water to prevent the seeds from rotting. Make sure the lamb's lettuce plants do not suffer from excessive heat, as this can cause the seeds to set prematurely. In the event of frost, protect the plants with a winter cover or cloche. Harvest lamb's lettuce leaves when they have reached a sufficient size, by cutting the leaves off at the base. Lamb's lettuce can be eaten fresh as a salad or cooked.
How do I harvest lamb's lettuce?
Mâche is a winter salad appreciated for its tender, flavoursome leaves. To harvest lamb's lettuce, it is best to wait until the leaves have reached a size of around 5 to 10 cm in diameter. You can start harvesting lamb's lettuce as early as autumn and as late as spring, depending on the weather.
To harvest lamb's lettuce, simply cut the leaves at the base with scissors or a knife. Be careful not to pull the plant off entirely to encourage continuous regrowth. Lamb's lettuce can be stored in the fridge for about a week after harvesting.
To grow lamb's lettuce naturally, we recommend using techniques such as mulching to enrich the soil and crop rotation to prevent soil exhaustion. By avoiding the use of chemical fertilisers, you're helping to keep your kitchen garden healthy and producing healthier, tastier vegetables.
Lamb's lettuce
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Leafy vegetables
- Botanical Family : Valerianaceae
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Partial Shade
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
- Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
- Adult Height : 20 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Sowing Depth : 0.5 cm
- Plant Spacing : 8 cm
- Row Spacing : 15 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Low
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Seeds
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Low
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Insect-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing