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As summer draws to a close, vegetable beds and greenhouses empty. Now it's time to look for alternatives. For example, you can grow lamb's lettuce from seeds. Here you will find all the important information about sowing, germination time and germination temperature.

In a nutshell

  • optimal sowing date between mid-July and mid-September
  • Harvest possible between September and March, depending on the variety
  • Spring sowing is also possible
  • optimum germination temperature between 16 and 18 °C
  • Germination time between 10 and 14 days

sowing and harvest dates

Lamb's or Rapunzel's lettuce (Valerianella locusta) is a typical autumn vegetable that can be sown between mid-July and mid-September, depending on the variety. Plants sown in July and August can then be harvested in September or October, whereas tranches sown later are only ready to harvest in November. In principle, even later sowing dates are conceivable, but plant growth stops at temperatures below eight degrees Celsius. Therefore lettuce sown late can only be harvested from March or April.

Tip: If you don't sow the lamb's lettuce seeds until late in the fall, it's best to do this in a sheltered greenhouse or cold frame. A raised bed can also be converted into a cold frame with a translucent cover. This extends the sowing and harvesting times.

strain choice

There is a large selection of lamb's lettuce varieties that are suitable for different sowing dates: you can grow robust varieties such as 'Gala' or 'Favor' all year round, which are robust, fast-growing and resistant to downy mildew. These varieties, which can be cultivated all year round, are also suitable for spring sowing. The cultivation of mildew-resistant varieties is also useful for overwintering, and they should also be frost-hardy. Suitable for this are:

  • 'Accent': August to October
  • 'Juwallon': July to October
  • 'Verte de Cambrai': Sow August to September
  • 'Vit': Sow July to October
Seed 'Dutch Broadleaf'

Proven breeds for the autumn harvest are against it

  • 'Dark Green Full Hearted'
  • 'Dark Green Fullhearted 2'
  • 'Dutch broadleaf' (also suitable for spring sowing)

Be sure to harvest overwintering plantings by March at the latest. From April lamb's lettuce begins to bloom and is then no longer suitable for consumption. However, you can leave some plants for seed production and harvest the mature seeds or let them sow themselves.

Notice: The red-leaved variety 'Ovired' appears in some lists of varieties, but it is not lamb's lettuce. Instead, this salad is one of the romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longif.webpolia).

sowing

As a rule, the seed is quite germinable and robust, which is why it can be sown directly in the bed. To do this, proceed as follows:

  • Harvest the seeded area and remove weeds
  • Thoroughly cultivating and raking
  • Throw seeds out
  • or sow in rows 10 by 10 centimeters apart
  • Dark germs, therefore cover seeds 0.5 to 1 centimeter with soil
  • press earth
  • water thoroughly and keep evenly moist

Emerging weeds should be plucked out regularly from the start so that the slower-growing lettuce is not overgrown by wild herbs. In addition, the soil must always be kept slightly moist and must not dry out, otherwise the seeds will not germinate. After emergence, plants that are too close together are warped.

Tip: When sowing in early spring or late autumn, a sheltered bed, for example in a greenhouse or in a cold frame, is recommended due to the cooler temperatures.

germination time and germination temperature

Lamb's lettuce seeds germinate best at temperatures between 16 and 18 °C. At this germination temperature, it only takes around 10 to 14 days for the first green tips to peek out of the ground. Even at temperatures between 10 and 15 °C, the seeds still sprout well, but less regularly and the average germination time can be a few days longer. Under no circumstances should you sow the lamb's lettuce in summer weather of more than 20 °C, then the seeds will germinate much less well or not at all.

Notice: Lamb's lettuce generally tends to emerge unevenly, i. H. Seeds applied at the same time can germinate several days apart. So don't sow straight away if the rows are thin, but be patient.

prefer and plant out

However, you can not only sow lamb's lettuce directly into the bed, you can also prefer it. This has the advantage that the germination time is shortened and you can harvest faster. In this way, the early plantings can be placed in the freshly harvested bed so that you don't have to wait for the seeds to emerge. And that's how it works:

  • Obtain earth bales or propagation cubes
  • Squeeze one seed into each cube
  • moisten well
  • put in a mini greenhouse or cover with foil
  • high humidity ensures faster germination
  • do not keep too warm (no direct sun!)

Once the seedlings have developed at least one pair of proper leaves and the planting bed is prepared, you can plant them outside. However, slowly acclimate them to the new environment.

Tip: Lamb's lettuce can be grown not only in the garden bed, but also in flower boxes on the balcony or terrace.

frequently asked Questions

How do you fertilize lamb's lettuce?

Lamb's lettuce is relatively undemanding and therefore does not need to be fertilized, even if the plants are sown in the vegetable patch as a follow-up crop. The remaining residual nutrients are completely sufficient for the autumn vegetables, and unusable plantings can also be undermined in spring as green manure. A soil that is not too nutrient-rich is even an advantage, since the lamb's lettuce is enriched with less nitrate. During the cultivation phase, it is enough to pull the weeds and water the plants regularly.

How long does lamb's lettuce last after harvest?

You should eat the lamb's lettuce or Rapunzel lettuce as soon as possible after harvesting. If this is not possible, the fresh harvest can be stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for about two to three days. However, the salad quickly loses its crispness and aroma, and it cannot be preserved - it is not possible to freeze it, for example. Therefore, sow the seeds at different times so that you don't have to harvest everything at once.

Can you harvest lamb's lettuce more than once?

In fact, the lettuce can be harvested several times, provided the rosette of leaves is not cut off too deeply. If the roots are intact in the soil and some aboveground plant debris remains, the plantlets will sprout again and again. It is also possible to just pluck off individual leaves. The prerequisite for this, however, is that the last harvest does not take place too late in the year, since the plants stop growing at temperatures below eight degrees Celsius.

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Vegetable garden