Anyone grown 'Little Gem Lettuce'?????

[kt.]

 Almost out of lettuce for the year, as I have 4 Saladin lettuce left on my plot due to slugs. Looked in a few shops for quick growing lettuce seeds. I could only find Little Gem. 4 Days ago I sowed 2 rows emptying the entire packet to maximise germination possibility, they have been watered each evening. Is there enough time for them to grow & be harvested as I have now been told it is too late in the year for this particular lettuce. The packet said 10-14 weeks.

Is it too late?           
(Any advice / opinions / personal experience on this variety appreciated.)

[kt.]

[powerspade]

Well i certainly hope its not too late as I have sown a short row yesterday afternoon. I have grown Little Gem in the past and they do not take long to produce crispy lettuce, depends on the weather of course but I`m hoping mine will be ready for eating about the end of September

[Lizzie]

Whatever you do - remember to thin them properly. I didn't, and am left with a mass of scrunched-up lettuce plants - not a crisp, juicy heart in sight :o(  I did some pulling up yesterday hoping that increased space would let each plant do its stuff... here's hoping!

The leaves taste nice, though!

[tim]

Little Gem - or its variants such as Tin Tin or Sherwood - are our standard crop.

Yes - it's fine sown now, but I don't like the thought of the whole packet - unless in a very long row??

As said, DO thin well - start with pointy ssissors as soon as the seedlings appear. If the row is like a hedge, you can't get your fingers in between them.

[HO]

One whole packet lasted me two years and there were still some left!!!   I just sow some in a pot and plant out the seedlings either into the polytunnel or outside, much cheaper. This year I have grown a succession of a Mr Fothergill's "COUNTER" which is a Little Gem x Romaine cross. Twice as big as Little Gem but just as fast if not faster. Not quite the taste in my opinion but liked by the family ok. However it does do one thing it says on the tin....resistant against bolting...and it is quite true, several have been left fully grown in the hot polytunnel for several WEEKS . One has just bolted but the last is ok for today. I have just pricked some out and will sow a few more next week or so.

[torquil]

     have sown little gem just two weeks ago starting to appear, find a whole packet far to many you will have a lot of thiningout to do.  good luck :D :D

[Mrs Ava]

Blimey, agree with everyone, that is a lot of little gem seed.  My packets normally last me 2 seasons, and I will be sowing more next week.  As they are ickle, you pick them ickle.  As you have sown so thickly, you will have masses of lovely thinnings which I love in sarnies, so do tend to sow a little thicker than normal just for them.

[saddad]

or some very fat slugs...
:-X

I've been sowing lettuce for the last month, I use the plant pot and prick out into a 24x cell tray, grow on and then plant out.. Have you considered Endive to follow on? Bronze Arrow, Stoke ( Heritage) and Winter Density are good lettuce to end the season with!

[tim]

Gem thinnings? Great - but at this time of year, surely they need all the space & light they can get if you want lettuce?

Better to sow Salad Leaves if you just want greenery?

[kt.]

I don't usually sow as excessively but I sowed the packet to ensure a final germination of sorts as we are almost out of lettuce. My plot will be covered in plastic and not be growing anything next year due to work commitments so was not too fussed about keeping seeds.

All my other seeds I have given to my relatives.

[tim]

Accepted - so long as they were well spaced. Sowing closely gains nothing.

[kt.]

Accepted - so long as they were well spaced. Sowing closely gains nothing.

Oops... Oh dear.    They will be well spaced when thinned :-\

[cleo]

Little gem is a standard here-and I`m still sowing them.

[theothermarg]

i second all thats been said i sown a pinch every 2 weeks all summer thinned them into modules then planted them out and tim you beat me to it there is nothing like salad leaves for a constant quick salad take a few leaves when you want them and leave the rest to grow. you can always top up the compost bin when you run out of peeps to give the gems to ;D
marg

[Sparkly]

I have found these grow quickly, and as other users have said, they are really nice young when the heart has not really formed properly. I tend to eat them mostly at that point. I was planning to sow a module tray for planting out tommorrow so I am hoping it is not too late either.