When can I sow and harvest lamb's lettuce?

Sow August to October for autumn–winter–spring cropping. Don't sow March–July — plants bolt almost immediately in warm weather. Harvest from October through to April, peaking in October–November and again in March–April with slow steady cropping through December–February. Cut whole rosettes at 5–7 cm rather than picking individual leaves.

Will lamb's lettuce survive a UK winter?

Yes — it's one of the hardiest winter salads (RHS H7). Survives normal UK winters in the open, including frost and snow. Frost-rimed leaves taste sweeter. In hard winters (-10°C and below), cover with a cloche or fleece for protection — but most years no protection is needed. Snow cover acts as natural insulation. Lamb's lettuce is one of the few culinary crops that genuinely produces leaves in January and February.

What does lamb's lettuce taste like?

Mild, faintly nutty, with a soft buttery texture. Much less sharp than rocket or watercress; far milder than mustard greens or chicory. The flavour is delicate — pairs well with sharp citrus dressings, sweet beetroot, walnuts, blue cheese, smoked salmon. Classic French use: mâche salad with hot bacon dressing and warm croutons. UK gardeners: think of lamb's lettuce as a less aggressive substitute for rocket through winter when rocket is bolting or absent.

Can I grow lamb's lettuce in pots?

Yes — perfect for pots and windowboxes. A 25 cm pot of peat-free compost holds 10–15 rosettes. Sow in September, water consistently. Pot lamb's lettuce gives the same winter cropping as in-ground plants with the convenience of moving the pot to a sheltered position in hard weather. Three pots in rotation gives continuous winter salad. For a cloche-protected pot: place a glass cloche or inverted plastic bottle over the pot in hard frost.

Is lamb's lettuce the same as corn salad?

Yes — different names, same plant. Lamb's lettuce (UK common name), corn salad (older UK name, traditional), mâche (French name, often used in UK food writing). All three names refer to Valerianella locusta. The corn in corn salad refers to grain fields where the plant naturally self-seeds as a winter annual weed — hence corn in the British sense of cereal grains, not American sweetcorn.

Why do my lamb's lettuce rosettes stay small?

Three usual causes. (1) Wrong season: summer-sown plants bolt before sizing up. Sow August–October only. (2) Crowded planting: thin seedlings to 10 cm; overcrowded plants stay small. (3) Hard winter conditions: rosettes grow slowly in December–February — that's normal. Spring flush (March–April) brings the largest rosettes of the year. Patience is the rule; lamb's lettuce isn't a fast-growing crop.

Alface-de-cordeiro

Valerianella locusta

Semeie a alface-de-cordeiro diretamente de agosto a outubro, ao sol ou em sombra parcial, em solo bem drenado — trata-se de uma verdura de salada de inverno muito resistente (RHS H7) que preenche a lacuna quando a maioria das outras verduras de salada está em dormência, produzindo durante o outono, o inverno e até à primavera. A alface-de-cordeiro forma pequenas rosetas achatadas de folhas ovais, macias e suaves, com um sabor ligeiramente a nozes. Ao ar livre, produz-se mesmo com geadas e neve — uma das poucas verduras para salada que produz genuinamente folhas utilizáveis em janeiro e fevereiro. Semeada na primavera, floresce quase imediatamente em clima quente; esta é fundamentalmente uma cultura de outono-inverno-primavera. Corte as rosetas inteiras quando as folhas tiverem 5–7 cm de comprimento — se colher folhas individuais, a planta desilude. Auto-semeia modestamente. Distinta da alface (família completamente diferente).

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