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How to Grow Corn Salad (Lamb's Lettuce) UK | Regional Planting Calendar

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How to Grow Corn Salad (Lamb's Lettuce) UK | Regional Planting Calendar guide thumbnail

Corn Salad (Lamb's Lettuce) (Valerianella locusta)

A corn salad rosette of spoon-shaped leaves seen from above — “Valerianella locusta 2019-03-24 7755” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

6 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Plant
Early August to late September
Ready in
14–21 days
Site
soil pH 6–7
Biggest risk
Corn salad downy mildew

In the UK, corn salad (lamb's lettuce) go in the ground early August to late September, and are ready to harvest 14–21 days after planting.

Corn salad (lamb's lettuce) (Valerianella locusta) — annual/biennial.

Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional sowing windows, ranging from early August in Southern England to early August in Scotland.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

Regional Planting Calendar

A flowering corn salad plant — “20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
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

A corn salad rosette of spoon-shaped leaves seen from above — “Valerianella locusta 2019-03-24 7755” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Valerianella locusta 2019-03-24 7755” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7
Time to harvest 14-21 days
Drainage well-drained
Lifecycle annual/biennial
Edible parts leaves

At a Glance

Corn salad flowers with leaves — “(MHNT) Valerianella locusta - inflorescences and Leaf” by Didier Descouens is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“(MHNT) Valerianella locusta - inflorescences and Leaf” by Didier Descouens is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Valerianella locusta Corn Salad (Lamb's Le… Corn salad downy mildew Aphids DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

A flowering corn salad plant — “20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

6 7

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

Growth Stages

A cluster of tiny pale blue corn salad flowers — “20170411Valerianella locusta3” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“20170411Valerianella locusta3” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
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

A pile of harvested corn salad leaves — “Valerianella locusta 2019-03-24 7751” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Valerianella locusta 2019-03-24 7751” by Salicyna is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

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

A flowering corn salad plant — “20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
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

A flowering corn salad plant — “20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“20250410Valerianella locusta5” by AnRo0002 is licensed under CC0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Aphididae (various spp.)

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

References

  1. country=US

  2. country=UK

  3. country=UK

  4. Directly fetched and verified. 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.

  5. country=US

  6. country=International

6 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I sow corn salad (lamb's lettuce) in the UK?

In Southern England, from early August. In Scotland, wait until early August. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow corn salad (lamb's lettuce)?

Sow early August to late September.

How long do corn salad (lamb's lettuce) take to grow?

Typically 14–21 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do corn salad (lamb's lettuce) need?

A pH of about 6–7. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect corn salad (lamb's lettuce)?

Our data links 1 disease and 1 pest to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance

Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

Last verified 2026-08-30

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