Best Lettuce Varieties for Scotland

Lettuce is easy in Scotland through spring and summer. The harder question is how to keep cutting in winter and early spring, and some varieties are bred for that.

What Scotland means for the choice

Two things set Scottish lettuce growing apart. The first is the spring gap: sown in September or October, a winter variety gives a harvest in spring, in a greenhouse or, in mild areas, under clochesA small, portable clear cover placed over an individual plant or short row to trap warmth and keep off wind, rain and pests. Full definition → or in a coldframe. Growth stalls in December and January even under cover, because low light stops it this far north, so expect the crop in March or April rather than midwinter. The second is damp weather, which suits slugs and downy mildew, so resistance to mildew is worth having (Navara has it). Hot, dry spells trigger boltingA plant switching early into flowering and seed production, usually triggered by stress, after which leaves, roots or bulbs turn bitter or unusable. Full page →, which turns the leaves bitter, so keep lettuce watered and lightly shaded in a warm summer. The lettuce growing guide covers sowing dates and slug control. Sowing dates for your area are in the planting calendar.

All six hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGMThe RHS's Award of Garden Merit: a UK-wide trials award for reliable performance, not a Scotland-specific recommendation. Full definition →). Hollywood, a compact iceberg with good resistance to downy mildew, doesn't.

Winter Density: for autumn sowing

Winter Density is a compact, semi-cos type with crisp hearts held low to the ground and wrapped in outer leaves. It has good winter hardiness, which allows autumn sowings that crop in early spring, and it's slow to bolt in warmer weather. Sow it in September or October. Early and late crops need a cloche or fleeceA lightweight, breathable fabric laid or draped over plants to trap a little warmth and keep off frost, wind and some flying pests. Full definition → for protection, and it does best on moisture-retentive soil in full sun. Winter Gem, a mini cos, is another that Gardener's World recommends for winter (sown August to January), but only with frost protection.

Little Gem and Lobjoit's Green Cos

Little Gem makes small, dense heads with a crisp, sweet heart, from spring to autumn depending on when you sow. It resists lettuce root aphid, though slugs and snails still go for it, and its size suits containers and tight beds. Lobjoit's Green Cos is the bigger one, with large, firm hearts, deep green leaves and a crisp texture, for a bed with room. Sow a short row of either every fortnight for a steady supply.

Salad Bowl and Navara: loose-leaf types

Salad Bowl, in green or red, doesn't form a heart. Pick the outer leaves as you need them from May until September. Gardener's World calls it slow to bolt, and it's rated H3, one step hardier than the others with a rating. Navara is an oakleaf lettuce with glossy, very dark red leaves, and it resists downy mildew and aphids. Sow it in spring and summer, thinning plants to 25cm apart. Gardener's World also lists Mascara, a frilled, deep red oakleaf that's slow to bolt, though it doesn't hold the AGM.

Sioux: a crisphead

Sioux is an iceberg with red-tinged leaves. Crisphead lettuces make large hearts of curled, crisp leaves with a mild flavour, and they're more resistant to bolting than other types and store well in the fridge. There's no hardiness rating or growing note for Sioux.

Which one for your situation

• A crop in March or April: Winter Density, sown in autumn.
• Pots, raised beds or small plots: Little Gem.
• A summer-long supply of leaves: Salad Bowl.
• A damp garden where mildew builds up: Navara.
• A crisp, mild iceberg head: Sioux.

All of them can be hit by slugs and snails, and grey mould can affect Little Gem and Lobjoit's Green Cos, so give seedlings protection until they're larger.

Common questions

Sources