The cultivation of lamb's lettuce is quite unproblematic. So you don't need any special knowledge if you want to grow lamb's lettuce. You should just follow our tips.
Gardeners who don't want to do without a fresh salad even on cooler autumn days like to use the delicious lamb's lettuce (valerianella locusta). Especially since this undemanding garden salad usually thrives without any problems and is also considered to be extremely he althy.
If you don't want to go without your own lettuce in autumn, then you should plant lamb's lettuce. Just note the following tips for location, sowing, care and harvest.
Location
Lambs lettuce thrives practically anywhere - even in balcony boxes. He clearly prefers a calcareous clay soil. You should also make sure that the location has as much sun as possible.
» Tip:
You can still sow the lamb's lettuce even if the outside temperatures are already below zero. However, it is particularly important that you pay attention to a sunny location.
Sowing
Lambs lettuce is usually sown twice a year - the best time to sow the lettuce is in April and late autumn. You can therefore also spread the lamb's lettuce as a so-called catch crop in the garden bed.
When sowing the lettuce, it is best to make a small groove (about 2 centimeters deep) in the soil with a garden rake and then scatter the seeds evenly in it. Then cover again with some soil and lightly press or roll down.
» Tip:
Don't plant the lamb's lettuce too densely. Sowing that is too dense has to be separated later so that the lettuce plants can develop optimally.
Care
Watering/fertilizing:
Of course, you always have to keep the lamb's lettuce sown in April a little moist if it is a dry spring. In autumn, on the other hand, the soil usually has sufficient moisture due to the formation of dew. In principle, lamb's lettuce does not require any fertilization, but you should remove weeds from it regularly.
» Tip:
Protect the lamb's lettuce in winter with a garden fleece, then you can harvest it even in mild climates on cold days.
Control pests
To avoid aphids tampering with the lamb's lettuce, you should spread nettle manure. But birds also love the delicious salad. To keep them from eating the plants, it is best to stretch a string in the middle of the salad bed or a net over the plants.
Harvest
You should harvest the lamb's lettuce with scissors. Simply cut off the lettuce in portions. But not too deep, because then it will grow back several times.