Lamb’s lettuce
Valerianella locusta
A vegetable, sown August to October.
In September: cover the lamb’s lettuce with a cloche or fleece and pick a few of its leaves at a time. It can be sown outdoors now.
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Lamb’s lettuce, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors. | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual |
| Protect the lamb’s lettuce over winter. | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Cover the lamb’s lettuce with a cloche or fleece. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Pick a few lamb’s lettuce leaves at a time. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Sowing
Sow outdoors August to October, 0.5cm deep, 15cm apart, rows 25 to 30cm apart. Moderate source: Kings Seeds.
Protect the lamb’s lettuce over winter
Use cloches or plastic-free fleece, or grow it in a coldframe or greenhouse.
Usually December to February. Moderate source: RHS.
Cover the lamb’s lettuce with a cloche or fleece
A cloche in autumn gives higher-quality leaves.
Usually September to November. Moderate source: RHS.
Pick a few lamb’s lettuce leaves at a time
Gardeners call this cut-and-come-again harvesting.
Usually September to November. Moderate source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Lamb’s lettuce” comes from.