Growing lettuce under glass

[veggiewomble]

I'm wondering whether it is still possible to sow lettuce outdoors in a cold frame around now, and will it overwinter well? I live in central London so we don't get a lot of frosty nights down here.

vegwomble

[BrideXIII]

I shall await the answer with interest, I betting it no though, to do with amount of light and for how long, rather than tempreture, still it would be fun to try.

[tootles]

Allegedly, lettuce will grow pretty much all winter (in a greenhouse).
Although I couldn't even get it to grow during the summer........

[firstimer1]

i put some out a couple of weeks ago with the top half of a juice bottle on top and there growing nicely

[zazen999]

If you get winter lettuce, you can indeed grow it all winter. I pick Winter cress, winter butterhead, spinach and some mizuna. typing with cut finger so apologies for punctuation etc...also chuck some cut and come again in, it does give you quite a bit before the frosts.

If there is a frost, it is easy to throw some fleece down to cover it overnights.

[BrideXIII]

If you get winter lettuce, you can indeed grow it all winter. I pick Winter cress, winter butterhead, spinach and some mizuna. typing with cut finger so apologies for punctuation etc...also chuck some cut and come again in, it does give you quite a bit before the frosts.

If there is a frost, it is easy to throw some fleece down to cover it overnights.

sweetheart you are so going to have to give me a list of what I can grow through the winter, I know its too late for me to get seeds now, but the thought of not having anything growing all year round worries me, I know me, I get bored so easily, and I am really enjoying this veg growing thing , the fact that I now have to wait til feb to plant anything is driving me mad.

[djhs196]

I successfullly got loose leaf crops in a cold frame over an existing rasied bed last year in Essex - rocket (!), winter purslane and corn salad.

It worked really well, and I'll look to do so again this year

[fwuffydragon]

OK - lettuces etc will grow over the winter - as will little stirfry greens, swiss chard (bright lights), kale, pak choi. You can start them as salad plants now and then plant them out next year to turn into big plants if you like.

Herbs like basil and coriander will also stay alive in cold frame depending how sheltered it is. Best to pot them up and bring them inside if you want them to continue to grow, as otherwise they shut down for the winter. Coriander is likely to bolt if you do this.

You could cheat and germinate them inside but to be honest I planted mine a couple of weeks ago outside and they're up so it may be worth a go.