perfect iceburg lettuce?

**sagegreen** · 09-02-2010, 02:08 PM

Hi leah, I don't give crisphead (iceberg) varities of lettuce any special treatment. Just make sure the soil is well prepared, sow a few seeds every couple of weeks, keep them moist and watch out for the dreaded slugs! Webbs Wonderful is a good old reliable variety, and over the past couple of seasons I have grown the 'original' Iceberg variety which I found at Suffolk Herbs (Suffolk Herbs - Home). This grows big with a looser head than the supermarket icebergs and has a superb fresh flavour. Might be worth a try?

**SarzWix** · 09-02-2010, 02:20 PM

I've found it a bit of a toss-up in the last couple of years with the weather - although they do take up quite a lot of water, if it rains tooo much it can cause the heads to go a bit mushy/slimy which is never pleasant! Thompson and Morgan do a mini one, which I think is called 'Mini Green' and that's worked well for us - they get to full size before the rain has a chance to ruin them, meaning they're also ready to eat sooner and, you don't have half a lettuce hanging round in the fridge.
If you're in a very wet area, it might be worth putting a cloche over them to keep them a bit dryer. If you're in a dry area, try 'Set' from Suttons, they're less likely to go to seed in dry weather.
Also, definitely make sure you have slug/snail control of some sort, they are very partial to a crispy iceberg...

**vicky** · 09-02-2010, 02:37 PM

Webbs Wonderful works for me too. Try to sow successionally, ie a row every 2 weeks or so otherwise you get a glut!

**Flummery** · 09-02-2010, 04:11 PM

I find that swapping eggs every now and then for spare iceberg lettuces from the man next door works a dream!

**BUFFS** · 09-02-2010, 04:29 PM

with iceberg lettuce,you must make sure the soil is firm around the roots,i found this out the hard way,and it was confirmed by an elderly gardener,who was a font of knowledge,since then i have had mostly success,except when it just keeps raining,as it sometimes does on the west coast of scotlland

**sagegreen** · 10-02-2010, 02:27 PM

Originally posted by Flummery View Post

I find that swapping eggs every now and then for spare iceberg lettuces from the man next door works a dream!

Excellent. Cottage economy!!

**Bagpuss** · 10-02-2010, 08:48 PM

I've found using the top of a fizzy drink bottle (eg coke) a useful method to keep the pests at bay whilst the lettuce gets going a little

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