Lamb's Lettuce
Valerianella locusta
Lamb's lettuce forms small rosettes of tender, nutty leaves that grow through fall and winter, giving fresh salads when little else is available. It is very cold-hardy.
Photo: Schwäbin · CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Keep moist until established.
Soil
Firm, fertile soil; pH 6.0–7.0.
Temperature and humidity
-15–22 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
No feeding needed.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed
Harvest whole rosettes or pick leaves.
Lamb's lettuce is safe to eat.
Top Cultivation Tips
Sow in late summer and early fall.
Germinates best in cool soil.
Wash well; grit collects in the rosettes.
Self-seeds if left to flower.
Common problems
Powdery mildew
A fungal disease that coats leaves, buds and young shoots with a white, flour-like dust, weakening the plant and spoiling flowers and fruit.
How to treat it →PestSnails and slugs
Night-feeding molluscs that chew ragged holes in leaves, seedlings and soft stems, especially in wet weather.
How to treat it →
