If you want to know how to grow lettuce in your garden, look no further! Our guide teaches you how to grow Romaine lettuce, Lamb’s lettuce, Butterhead lettuce, and many more.
Lettuce is easy and enjoyable to grow, making it suitable for beginners. It also comes in many colours, flavours and varieties, giving you endless versatility for salads.
We share tips on how to plant lettuce seeds, the best soil to use, the best companion vegetables, and when to harvest.
Growing different types of lettuce
There are over 20 types of lettuce that you can grow in the UK, and each one offers something different.
- Cos/Romaine: Known as “heart lettuce” because of the way the leaves form, these varieties are a robust choice for winter gardeners.
- Butterhead: Soft and velvety in texture, they are a wonderful alternative to Cos. They have loose heads and you can find a variety to grow at any time of year.
- Iceberg: Perfect for that delicious crunch! You cannot grow Iceberg lettuce entirely indoors because it takes a long time to mature, but it thrives in a warm, sunny spot in the garden.
- Loose leaf: Get a good harvest throughout the summer by picking the leaves as and when you need – there’s a good chance they’ll grow back.
When is the best time to grow lettuce?
Lettuce is available throughout the seasons but tends to grow fastest in warm weather. Certain varieties, like Butterhead, grow beautifully all year round, so you’ll get plenty from your garden.
How to grow lettuce from seeds
You can grow lettuce from seeds by sowing outdoors or in containers indoors. For outdoor sowing, be sure to consider protective measures as seedlings and young plants can be vulnerable to slugs, snails and birds.
How to plant lettuce seeds outdoors
Be sure to sow the seeds thinly, with a depth of around 1cm in prepared soil. If you’re doing rows, have them around 30cm apart to give them room.
How to plant lettuce seeds indoors
Make sure you have some large containers (at least 30cm wide) and fill them with moist, peat-free compost. After sowing, keep your lettuces indoors or in a
polytunnel before transferring to a plot.
What soil does lettuce grow best in?
Soil is one of the most important factors in growing lettuce successfully – fresh, organic compost is usually the preferred option. While lettuce grows well in straight compost, a potting mix can be used as a base for containers to retain moisture and deliver a consistent mix of nutrients to the plant.
Can lettuce grow in shade?
Lettuce tends to grow best in sunlight, but there are certain varieties that can handle partial shade, such as Romaine lettuce. For slow-maturing varieties like Iceberg, we recommend avoiding indoor growing and choosing a sunny location in the garden instead.
However, it’s worth noting that during the hottest time of year, some light shade is preferable to prevent premature flowering, known as bolting.
When to harvest lettuce
Knowing when to harvest lettuce depends on when you sow the seeds. Here’s a breakdown of the desired harvest and recommended sowing times.
- Summer and autumn harvests: The best advice is to sow outdoors from late March to July. If you want to ensure an early crop, sow indoors in February and plant outside in early March. A good spring variety is Romaine lettuce, which offers a sweet and earthy flavour profile.
- Early winter harvests: Sow outdoors in early August for lettuces at the start of wintertime. For best results, cover the plants with cloches when the weather turns cold in September. Cloches are ideal for frost and rain protection for autumn-sown crops.
- Spring harvests: Choose a winter lettuce variety to sow in September or October. Some of the best varieties include Arctic King or Imperial Winter (both Butterhead), as well as Winter Density (Semi Cos). Using a polytunnel helps protect crops from the elements.
- Continuous harvests: If you want a constant supply of lettuce for your kitchen, try sowing every two weeks between March and September.
What grows well with lettuce?
Lettuce plants take up very little space, so they are often brilliant for filling gaps in vegetable plots. It can also be a good idea to put lettuce next to companion plants that repel pests, such as garlic and chives. Plants from the Allium family have a strong odour that keeps slugs, snails and aphids away.
If you want to simplify your garden tasks, plant lettuce next to veggies that require the same level of care. For instance, both cucumbers and lettuce need rich soil and lots of water, so this could streamline your gardening. You could also try growing next to slower crops like parsnips, as lettuce can be harvested before its neighbours need extra room.
Start growing lettuce with Premier Polytunnels
If you want to know how to grow lettuce with maximum success, we have a number of products that could help. Our
high-quality polytunnels are designed to provide practical and durable protection for crops in all weather, while our cloches and
fruit cages can keep pests at bay.
Whatever variety of lettuce you intend to grow, we’re always here to advise you on the right products for your plot. If you have any questions, call our friendly team on 01282 811250 or email
info@premierpolytunnels.co.uk.