How to Grow Winter Purslane (Miner's Lettuce) UK

When to Plant Winter Purslane (Miner'S Lettuce) in the UK

When to plant winter purslane (miner's lettuce) in the UK: in Southern England, sow early September to late March. Find your area in the table below.

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

Southern England - detail & sources

Plantura/GrowVeg: sow September through to March, while temperatures remain below 12°C, because the seed needs a cold stimulus to germinate -- this window deliberately runs across the turn of the year (start DOY 244 in early September, end DOY 90 at the end of March). A single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the sources give no UK-region-specific gradient; this is a hardy cold-season crop grown through the winter everywhere in the UK, and the sources recommend cloche or cold-greenhouse protection for reliable winter cropping regardless of region.

Midlands - detail & sources

Plantura/GrowVeg: sow September through to March, while temperatures remain below 12°C, because the seed needs a cold stimulus to germinate -- this window deliberately runs across the turn of the year (start DOY 244 in early September, end DOY 90 at the end of March). A single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the sources give no UK-region-specific gradient; this is a hardy cold-season crop grown through the winter everywhere in the UK, and the sources recommend cloche or cold-greenhouse protection for reliable winter cropping regardless of region.

Northern England - detail & sources

Plantura/GrowVeg: sow September through to March, while temperatures remain below 12°C, because the seed needs a cold stimulus to germinate -- this window deliberately runs across the turn of the year (start DOY 244 in early September, end DOY 90 at the end of March). A single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the sources give no UK-region-specific gradient; this is a hardy cold-season crop grown through the winter everywhere in the UK, and the sources recommend cloche or cold-greenhouse protection for reliable winter cropping regardless of region.

Scotland - detail & sources

Plantura/GrowVeg: sow September through to March, while temperatures remain below 12°C, because the seed needs a cold stimulus to germinate -- this window deliberately runs across the turn of the year (start DOY 244 in early September, end DOY 90 at the end of March). A single window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since the sources give no UK-region-specific gradient; this is a hardy cold-season crop grown through the winter everywhere in the UK, and the sources recommend cloche or cold-greenhouse protection for reliable winter cropping regardless of region.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Lifecycle	annual
Edible parts	leaves, stems, flowers

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing and cold germination	0	Sow September to March while temperatures stay below 12°C (ideally 8-12°C), since the seed needs a cold stimulus; sow about 1cm deep and 5cm apart in rows 10-15cm apart. Germination takes two to three weeks (Plantura).
Thinning and establishment	1	Thin direct-sown plants to about 10cm apart, or plant out from modules at the same spacing, into loose, humus-rich sandy soil in sun or semi-shade (GrowVeg, Plantura).
Rosette growth	3	Plants form a rosette of succulent basal leaves reaching about 30cm; they tolerate mild frost outdoors but crop far more reliably under a cloche or in a cold greenhouse (Plantura, GrowVeg).
Cut-and-come-again harvest and self-seeding	4	Harvest from six to eight weeks after sowing, cutting mature leaves at least 2cm above ground with a sharp knife so plants regrow, from October through to April. Flowering shoots carry the distinctive fused disc-shaped leaf; deadhead unless self-seeding is wanted (Plantura, GrowVeg).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Sow late summer for autumn-to-early-winter harvest, or spring for a summer crop. Cut-and-come-again -- both leaves and flowering shoots are edible.

Winter Purslane, the Salad Leaf That Crops Through Winter

The perfoliate disc

Paired upper leaves fuse into a round disc pierced by the stem, with white flowers above -- unmistakable.

Mild, succulent leaves

The slightly succulent basal leaves are mild-flavoured and cut from six to eight weeks after sowing.

Sown into the cold

Seed needs a cold stimulus, sown September to March while temperatures stay between 8 and 12°C.

Filling the hungry gap

One of the hardiest salad crops there is, picking from October right through to April.

Self-seeds freely

Left alone it returns year after year -- readily enough to become invasive, so deadhead to keep it in check.

What the research guides add

Winter purslane is a cool-season annual, and the University of Washington propagation protocol sets out its timing.

• Plants grow well in the dappled shade of trees, producing a better quality crop; they thrive in moist, humus-rich soil but are happy in virtually any soil type, and do best in slightly shaded sites. (University of Washington)
• Direct seed 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost, ¼ inch deep and ½ inch apart in rows 8 to 12 inches apart; germination usually takes 2 to 4 weeks at 10°C. (University of Washington)
• Seeds of the wild plant need two months of cold, moist stratification for germination. (University of Washington)
• Time from germination to flowering varied from 33 to 90 days in one Columbia River Gorge population. Although only an annual, it usually self-sows when well sited, and plants may overwinter in zone 6 and warmer. (University of Washington)

Sources for this section

• University of Washington, Center for Urban Horticulture: Plant Propagation Protocol for Claytonia perfoliata

Section researched and checked on 25 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

References

1. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine - Claytonia perfoliata
2. Cornell University Cooperative Extension - Vegetable Growing Guides: Claytonia / Miner's Lettuce
3. GBIF - GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Claytonia perfoliata Donn ex Willd.
4. GrowVeg - Miner's Lettuce Grow Guide

   Sow August-September for winter and early spring harvests; alternatively sow in late summer for autumn to early winter, or in spring for a summer crop. Thin direct-sown plants to 10cm apart, or plant out from modules at 10cm spacing. Light, sandy soil is ideal but it grows in most sites, in sun or partial shade. Tolerates mild frosts but is better grown under cover for harvests all winter. Productive right through winter and early spring, and if left to self-seed it returns year after year. Cut leaves as required.

5. Plantura - Winter purslane: how to grow miner's lettuce

   Originates in the western mountainous and coastal regions of North America, now established throughout the UK. Annual reaching about 30cm, forming succulent basal leaves in a rosette; younger paired leaves fuse into a disc below the flower head, the defining feature of the species. Hardy, and the succulent leaves let it survive brief dry periods. Seed needs a cold stimulus and is sown September to March while temperatures stay below 12°C, ideally 8-12°C. Sow about 5cm apart at 1cm deep with rows 10-15cm apart. Wants nutrient-rich, loose, humus-rich sandy earth and a semi-shady site; does not tolerate salt. Ready to harvest 6-8 weeks after sowing; cut mature leaves at least 2cm from the ground with a sharp knife, between October and April. Self-pollinates and self-seeds annually -- deadhead to prevent uncontrolled spread.

5 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.