How to grow lamb's lettuce in a raised bed

Lamb's lettuce (corn salad or mâche) is a mild, nutty, cold-hardy salad green that thrives when almost nothing else will — a lovely, tender winter crop for a raised bed.

Quick facts

• Position: full sun to part shade
• Spacing: 10 cm apart
• Tub depth: our 23 cm depth
• Time to harvest: 8–10 weeks

When to plant: Lamb's lettuce is a cool-season crop — sow from autumn through winter. It's remarkably cold-hardy and slow to bolt in the cool. Our free planting calendar shows the right months for your postcode.

Growing it in a raised bed: Scatter seed thinly over the mix and barely cover. It forms neat little rosettes and needs little attention — a great gap-filler over winter.

Watering and feeding: Keep the mix evenly moist for tender leaves; a light feed is plenty.

Common pests: keep an eye out for aphids and slugs and snails. Most are easily managed — see our safe pest guide.

Common diseases: the main one is downy mildew and damping-off, usually from damp, crowded conditions. Good airflow and morning watering prevent most.

Companion plants: A tidy winter filler that slots in among slower crops. See our companion planting guide.

Harvest and storage: Pick whole rosettes or individual leaves once they're a usable size. Use fresh — it's delicate and wilts quickly.

More growing guides: lettuce, endive and watercress.

Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.

Image: Kévin Feltrin, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.