Although we don’t tend to eat cold foods so much in the winter, there is nothing quite like the taste of a fresh green salad at any time of year, and often winter lettuce is slightly sweeter tasting than the summer varieties.
Unless you are intending to eat a lot of winter salad, a few healthy plants will probably be all you need to see you through, if you pick the leaves as and when you need them.
Choose from hardy varieties of your favourite summer lettuce or experiment with more unusual winter salad crops such as Texsel greens and salad burnet.
For a continuous supply, sow a few seeds every four weeks.
Grow from seed
Choose seed carefully. Some lettuce varieties, such as 'Arctic King’ and other winter salads are suitable for all-year growing, though they may need a little extra protection during colder months. Have some small cloches handy to protect all young plants during cold weather, especially frosty nights.
Experiment with a couple of varieties if you have the space. The cut-and-come-again crops are loose-leafed and you can pick a few leaves from the plants every few days. A cold frame is ideal for growing winter salads, and you can also try them in containers.
Sow and plant out
Sow seed up until mid November. If you are sowing directly outside, sow sooner rather than later to avoid frost damage to seedlings. Prepare well-drained pots or trays with fresh compost and sow seed thinly. Keep seedlings warm and watered. Prepare a sunny well-drained spot in the garden. Choose a sheltered area, if possible, to protect your plants from cold winds. Dig over the ground lightly, and incorporate some well-rotted compost to feed the soil if necessary. Plant out seedlings when they are large enough to handle and allow about 12in all round for each plant to fully develop. Double-check the recommendations on the seed packets, as varieties differ in their spacing requirements.
If direct sowing, sow as thinly as possible in shallow drills. Sow short lines of winter lettuce seed every couple of weeks or so. Water well afterwards; winter rainfall will probably be enough to keep plants watered. Thin out plants as they start to crowd each other. Make sure the ground is damp before you start removing plants and eat the ones you pull up.
Crop care
Although winter lettuce is bred for cold weather, a sharp drop in temperature may kill off seedlings and young plants. Keep an eye on the weather and protect crops with a cloche overnight. It should be removed during the day when the temperature has risen.
If you have to leave the cover over the plants, remove it every day or so and check your plants. The soil under plastic can become mouldy and needs to be agitated so the roots don’t rot. Plants may need watering and weeds should be removed with a hoe.
If a severe winter is forecast, try growing a few winter salads in a cold frame or an unheated greenhouse.
Harvesting
Winter lettuce crops can be used as and when the plants are big enough. Varieties that produce a firm head are best left to fully mature, although a leaf or two can be taken from time to time. The cut-and-come-again varieties should be picked regularly after they are about 2in high. They will produce more leaves if you use them. Or, allow the plants to grow to about 8in and cut the whole head off, leaving a 1in stump – a new plant should soon re-sprout.
How to store
Winter lettuce should be used fresh straight from the garden. It will keep for a day or two in the salad compartment of the fridge if necessary. Don’t wash before storing, as it will last a little longer if kept dry. Close-leaved types will store for longer but try to use fresh from the garden when possible.
Taste tip
Many winter salads acquire a strong, robust flavour. If the leaves are too bitter, try blanching them by covering plants with a flowerpot. Left like this for a few days before harvesting, the leaves will become paler and less bitter.
