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Varieties
Much depends on choosing a good variety, your comments would be welcome if you have can point readers to a real winner, or advise them to avoid a real loser.
See also my post in the main site under varieties.
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Picking just the outer leaves of lettuce - I tried this first in 2008 and again last year - inspired by Charles' Salad Leaves book. It worked a treat and gave me lettuce from May to October. No gluts as I'd had before.
Does anyone have any good varieties for this - the best for early on and then for later sowing and to take you into Autumn? Many thanks - Richard
Grenoble red lettuce seems to last forever! It looks beautiful and tastes good, too.
On Friday, the first day that the snow cleared, I picked an enormous bowl of fresh salad from my allotment. Some of the plants were a little squashed by the weight of the snow on the fleece (they have since perked up) but all survived well.
Steph
Steph - thanks for the Grenoble Red heads up - I'll look out for it. Richard
I had great success with some lettuce last year I believe were 'marvel of four seasons' I got given them as seedlings and they were never touched by the slugs and harvested a lot of leaves over a very long period. Nice crunch as well. When they finally ran to flower I collected the seed as at the time I had no idea wat variety the were. I've now got some small ones in the tunnel under fleece which seem to be surviving ok.
They sound good! A friend sent me some Portuguese lettuce seeds (don't know what variety) which grew well enough but were not very exciting to eat.
I had more success with Clarke's Beltony Blue peas, which produced the most beautiful pale purple pea flowers, purple pea pods and delicious peas. They really are lovely plants. Have saved some seeds so will see if any grow true to type.
One of my favourite vegetables this year has been radicchio - looks beautiful, lasts for ages and tastes fantastic both raw and roasted. Unfortunately I can't remember what my favourite was called, so I'll have to post that later.