We've struggled a little with our lettuce this year; with it being so hot it seems to want to bolt.
The main culprit is Little Gem, which was great last year, although All Year Round & Rouge Grenoble seem to stand a little better. I wondered if anyone has any better varieties to suggest that are happy to resist the heat?
Hi Mothy,
Sangria has been my best lettuce so far this year. In the past I've done well with Marvel Of The Four Seasons and Lollo Rossa in fairly hot weather. Good Question.
All The Best-Marky :)
If it's not too much faff, would fleecing help bounce the sun back?
Leaving a ventilation space of a foot or so, so it's more like a roof ::)
Nice one, Sprouty - I reckon that the reflection would more than compensate for the 'greenhouse effect' - & help limit evaporation??
Our badly timed (for succession) Tin Tin (left) & Little Gem are doing really well, despite a very dry raised bed.
I try to sow my lettuce in the shade of larger plants. I find the looseleaf cut and come again type mixes are slower to bolt and provide plenty. Funny though, my little gem are in a baking open patch, and they are going amazingly! Red oak leaf and Australian yellow are both doing great and not bolting.....yet
Here in Spain I find the red lettuce the best, I'm really impressed with bijou, but red salad bowl has also been very slow to bolt!
Quote from: tim on July 01, 2006, 08:11:18
Our badly timed (for succession) Tin Tin (left) & Little Gem are doing really well, despite a very dry raised bed.
They look fine for succession to me tim, nice mix of sizes among the little gem :)
Our Romana lettuces from seeds of italy have done very well, all the others are bolting around them but they're still going strong and showing no signs of bolting. The Webbs Wonderfuls are doing quite well too. The butterhead (All Year Round) bolted fairly quickly.
I've grown a Cos type called Balloon this year, with great success. It's quite coarse, and has a slightly bitter taste. 8 of them are producing so much that even my friends are getting bored of lettuce now. Marvel of 4 seasons was fine but I find it a bit of a dull taste.
I'm a bit old fashioned I just grow the same varieties every year and I don't seem to have any problems. ( better the devil you know)
They are Great Lakes & Webbs Wonderful.