Lettuce

As a leading vegetable seed supplier, we have a wide variety of lettuce seeds including butterhead types, crisp and iceberg types, Cos and semi-cos types, overwintering lettuces and red types too!
Cos Lettuce, also know as Romaine lettuce, grow long, narrow, leaves with a firm crunchy ribs down the centre. Cos lettuce is popularly used in salads and sandwiches. Tolerant to heat unlike other types.
Butterhead Lettuces have loosely formed heads with soft leaves. They are known for their ‘buttery’ taste.
Crisphead lettuces, also known as Iceberg, have crunchy green leaves. Most commonly found in a supermarket. They grow best in cooler environments and have a slightly sweet flavour.
Loose leaf lettuces do not form compact heads. They have a firm central rib. Some varieties have slightly curled leaves. This type is suitable for cutting when young as they quickly re-grow. (Cut and come again).
Whatever type you'd like to grow for your salads, we will have something for you! We also have a extensive range of tomato seeds available to add some colour and texture to your salads!
The botanical name for lettuce is Lactuca Sativa, which comes from the Latin word 'lac', meaning milk, which refers to the 'milky saps'.
Sowings can be made under glass from February. Sow seeds into pots or trays of seed sowing compost at a temperature of 15-20°C and lightly cover seeds with a sprinkling of vermiculite or compost. Sowings made under glass can be pricked out into individual pots or module trays, and grown on until ready to harden off. Plant out into the vegetable plot at 30cm (12") apart between each seed and each rows. Alternatively, sow seeds from April thinly along rows 1.5cm (1/2") deep direct in the vegetable plot. Seedlings sown direct outside can be thinned, once large enough to handle, to 30cm (12") apart. Thinnings can also be transplanted into other rows, and kept watered during hot dry spells. Early and later sowings can benefit from cloche protection.
TOP TIP: If sowing lettuce seeds during hot weather, place the seed packet in the fridge overnight and then sow them the next day. This cooling down of the seeds will help improve germination.