As air temperatures drop and you begin to prepare your garden for winter, this is the best time to start some seeds in the beds for the winter harvest. Lamb's lettuce is one of the most cold-tolerant plants you can grow, making it the perfect choice for the winter vegetable garden. Learn how to sow lamb's lettuce in October to enjoy the sweet, nutty flavor in your salad bowl all winter long.
Lamb's lettuce is the perfect leafy vegetable for sowing in October! With its unique taste, the versatile and nutritious lamb's lettuce is an absolute must on our winter menu. Although many gardeners still sow it in August, it is still possible to do so in October if you want to ensure a fresh harvest from November to January and consume fresh, tasty salads even in winter.
Hardy lamb's lettuce germinates best in cooler temperatures, making it a great October plant. It grows in low rosettes and is also known as bird's lettuce, Nüssli lettuce and field lettuce. You can grow the leafy greens unprotected, but if you plant them in a greenhouse, they will grow even faster. The lamb's lettuce is fully ripe in 40 to 60 days and its leaves can be harvested at any time. Follow these steps to grow this delightful vegetable and enjoy its fresh quality all winter long.
Which varieties to plant in October?
Growing lamb's lettuce in October is possible both outdoors and in the greenhouse, you just have to choose the right variety. The approximately 60 varieties differ in yield, shape and harvest time, but only some of them are suitable for sowing in autumn.
When sowing, choose a winter variety that is robust and hardy and can tolerate temperatures down to -15 °C.You can buy these varieties until the end of Octobersow and they can be harvested after 4-5 months.
The most suitable varieties for autumn cultivation are “Vit”, “Elan”, “Favor” and “Gala”, which promise good yields thanks to their hardiness and resistance to downy mildew.
Choose the right location
Choose a site with well-drained soil in partial shade to full sun. Make sure the soil is rich in organic matter and has a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Planting in autumn in beds where you can plant them in summerother vegetableshas grown is ideal.
Before sowing, loosen the soil and remove any weeds. Work in compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility and structure.
Sowing lamb's lettuce in October: instructions
If you sow lamb's lettuce in October, the weather should be cool. For successful germination, the soil temperature should not be more than 10 °C. If the soil is warmer, the seeds go into dormancy.
- Sow the seeds in rows at a planting distance of 20×10 or scatter them directly onto the soil surface and rake them 1 cm deep into the soil.
- Water the area lightly after sowing to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.
Lamb's lettuce seeds usually germinate within 7-14 days. As the seedlings grow, separate them about 10-15 cm apart so that each individual plant has enough space to develop and mature.
The lamb's lettuce is oneexcellent green manure, so you can easily work the remains into the soil with a hoe after harvesting.
Care after sowing
Lamb's lettuce doesn't require much care as long as you water the plants and keep them weed-free.
- Irrigation:Keep the soil evenly moist, especially during the germination period, so that the lamb's lettuce can form roots. However, avoid waterlogging, which can lead to rot. Established plants should generally be watered weekly.
- Fertilization:Once the seedlings are established, apply a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer. Pale leaves indicate a high nutrient deficiency.
- Winter protection:When temperatures really drop, you can place a plastic bottle with the bottom cut out over each individual plant to keep them warmto protect against frost.
Harvest lamb's lettuce
As long as the lamb's lettuce is ready to harvest and has reached its maximum size, you can harvest the whole rosettes or individual leaves.
Grab the plant with your hand and cut off the entire rosette near the base or simply cut off individual leaves 1-2 cm higher.
You can store the fresh lamb's lettuce in a bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
