How to Grow Corn Salad (Lamb's Lettuce) UK

When to Plant Corn Salad (Lamb'S Lettuce) in the UK

When to plant corn salad (lamb's lettuce) in the UK: in Southern England, sow early August to late September. Find your area in the table below.

Region	Sow
Southern England	early August to late September
Midlands	early August to late September
Northern England	early August to late September
Scotland	early August to late September

Southern England - detail & sources

RHS: normally sown in late summer or autumn for winter salads (spring sowings from a few weeks before last frost also possible); a single autumn window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Midlands - detail & sources

RHS: normally sown in late summer or autumn for winter salads (spring sowings from a few weeks before last frost also possible); a single autumn window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Northern England - detail & sources

RHS: normally sown in late summer or autumn for winter salads (spring sowings from a few weeks before last frost also possible); a single autumn window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Scotland - detail & sources

RHS: normally sown in late summer or autumn for winter salads (spring sowings from a few weeks before last frost also possible); a single autumn window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the source gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil pH	6 - 7
Time to harvest	14-21 days
Drainage	well-drained
Lifecycle	annual/biennial
Edible parts	leaves

At a Glance

Soil & Growing Conditions

Soil pH range

6 7

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing and germination	0	Sow about 0.5cm deep, normally late summer or autumn for a winter crop, or from a few weeks before the last spring frost; germinates in 5-14 days depending on soil temperature (RHS, Harvest to Table).
Thinning and rosette growth	1	Thin to about 10cm apart in rows 30cm apart; low rosette of soft, spoon-shaped leaves develops in sun or semi-shade, any well-drained soil (RHS).
Cut-and-come-again harvest	3	Pick outer leaves first once the rosette is established, leaving the centre to keep growing; protect with cloches in very harsh winter weather (RHS, Harvest to Table).
Bolting and flowering	6	If left uncut, tiny bluish or pinkish flowers appear in flat heads on multi-branched stems as the plant runs to seed (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Pull up alternate plants, then pick larger leaves as needed; best picked before flowering. Hardy into winter if not frozen.

Storage

perishable -- refrigerate promptly, e.g. with a slightly moist paper towel in a breathable bag

Diseases

Corn salad downy mildew

Peronospora valerianellae

Peer-reviewed APS Plant Disease report: Peronospora valerianellae confirmed causing downy mildew on commercial corn-salad plantings in California; crop loss 1-15%.

Pests

Aphids

Aphididae (various spp.)

Multiple horticultural sources note corn salad is susceptible to aphids as a generalist pest.

Corn Salad, a Hardy Winter Salad Rosette

Soft, spoon-shaped leaves

RHS: a rosette of soft, spoon-shaped, edible leaves up to 15cm long.

Thrives in cracks and poor soil

RHS: grows in any well-drained soil, sunny or semi-shaded -- a tough, adaptable little plant.

Tiny pale blue flowers

RHS: tiny bluish or pinkish flowers cluster in flat heads on multi-branched stems if left to bolt.

Sown for winter salads

RHS: normally sown in late summer or autumn for winter salads, protected with cloches in very harsh weather.

Cut-and-come-again leaves

Harvest by picking outer leaves first, leaving the centre to keep growing for repeated pickings through the season.

References

1. American Phytopathological Society (Plant Disease) - Downy Mildew Caused by Peronospora valerianellae on Corn-Salad (Valerianella locusta) in California
2. Harvest to Table - How to Grow Corn Salad (Mache)

   Sow seed 1/4in deep in rich, well-draining soil, starting 3-4 weeks before the last spring frost and again in autumn by early September; sow every 2 weeks for continual harvest. Germinates in 5-14 days depending on soil temperature. Thin to 4in apart in rows 12in apart (or sow direct 1in apart in rows 4-6in apart). Harvest begins 2-3 weeks after emergence/transplanting; pick outer leaves first, cut-and-come-again, letting centre leaves continue growing for multiple harvests through the season.

3. Royal Horticultural Society - Aphids: Identification and Control

   RHS explicitly does not recommend pesticide use against aphids; recommends tolerance, manual squashing, and encouraging/purchasing natural predators (ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings, parasitoid wasps, earwigs) as biological control, especially under glass.

4. Royal Horticultural Society - Valerianella locusta 'Cavallo'
5. Royal Horticultural Society - Valerianella locusta | lamb's lettuce
6. Utah State University Extension - How to Grow Lamb's Lettuce in Your Garden
7. World Flora Online - World Flora Online: Valerianella locusta (L.) Laterr.

7 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.