Looking For Winter Lettuce

Lettuces are always a winner in the vegetable garden and many are surprisingly hardy, making the prospect of winter salads easier than you might think. Choose a sheltered spot that will make the most of any winter sun - in warmer parts of the UK, you should get away with no protection, but the use of fleece or a cloche will improve your chances of success in colder areas. Give your lettuces a little love and attention, and you'll be eating salad all year long! 

I've been looking for some winter varieties and this is what I have found so far... any other suggestions? 

Artic King - Specially bred for autumn sowing, Lettuce 'Arctic King' is well known for its exceptional cold resistance. This large Butterhead variety produces tasty light green heads with crinkled leaves for harvesting in spring. Lettuce 'Autumn King' is suitable for growing outdoors in winter but will benefit from cloche protection during particularly cold weather. Height: 15cm (6"). Spread: 30cm (12").

Thompson & Morgan £2.99 Approx. 500 seeds  

Black Seeded Simpson (looseleaf) - This is absolutely gorgeous: the Daily Telegraph has rated this as the best flavoured lettuce in the uk Don’t just take their word for it, or ours, try this for yourself. It can be sown at any time, withstanding heat and drought as well as snow and frost down to -5 and still maintains its flavour. Fabulous, what more can we say? Price for 75 seeds

More Veg - £0.60 for 75 seeds

Cantarix (Oakleaf) - With glossy maroon red foliage cantarix provides stunning colour in the garden and on your plate. Mature heads have a lime green centre. The deeply lobed leaves pull apart easily for speedy salads and they are sweetly flavoured.  You can crop as a cut-&-come-again at any time of the year or for the richly coloured heads from spring to autumn.

More Veg - £0.75 for 75 Seeds  

Chatsworth -  British bred, a good sized crisp Cos lettuce which develops dense heads of bitter-free, crisp and succulent leaves. Bred in the UK for high quality, reliable crops in the British climate.
Winner of an RHS Award of Garden Merit for reliability and good performance.
Part of the seed range produced by Mr Fothergill’s Seeds in partnership with the RHS

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Mr Fothergill's -  £2.40 for 1250 seeds 

Just Seeds (Mr Fothergill's) - £2.29 for 1250 seeds 

Gillaad (Romaine) - The very wrinkled and crinkled leaves are in dramatic shades of burgundy and maroon.  It is heat resistant for summer growing yet can be sown from early spring right through to the autumn.  It is also slow to bolt allowing you to harvest as you need them.

More Veg - £0.75 for 75 seeds 

Lobjoits (Cos) - Once you taste these crunchy textured, dark green, intensely flavoured lettuces this will become one of your favourites. An AGM winning heirloom variety, Lobjoits qualities shine through. It is suitable for close planting, from early sowings this variety remains in prime condition once the summer warms up and you can sow again in late summer/early autumn for a second season of deliciousness!

More Veg - £0.60 for 75 seeds 

Marvel of Four Seasons (looseleaf) - This stunning choice, the leaves on this French heirloom variety have dark green leaves with cranberry red tips making it both attractive and tasty. As its name suggests it is an all season variety. It's at its best when sown for harvest in the spring and autumn. 

More Veg - £0.60 for 75 Seeds 

Navara (Butterhead) - Lettuce Navara is a shiny dark red oakleaf variety which produces medium sized heads on compact lettuce plants. Navara internal lettuce leaves are a rich green, plus they are resistant to lettuce leaf aphid and Downy Mildew 1-26.

DT Brown -  £2.15 for 200 seeds

Rouge de Hiver - This Heirloom variety hails from France, its name translates as ‘red of winter’ and it is indeed happier with cooler weather when the colour intensifies. One to sow in early spring and again in late autumn. We enjoyed it into the winter with an open ended cloche.

More Veg - £0.60 for 75 seeds

Salad Mix - This is Chiltern Seeds own exclusive selection of the best winter hardy lettuces, and includes; 'Marvel of Four Seasons', 'Meraviglia d'Inverno', 'Winter Density' and 'Red Salad Bowl'.

Chiltern Seeds - £2.15 for Approx. 400 seeds (measured by weight)

Valian - A popular Little Gem type which is perfect for growing in an unheated greenhouse to provide sweet and crunchy heads from autumn to early spring. Good disease resistance.

Just Seeds (Mr Fothergills) £2.45 Approx. 250 seeds

Mr Fothergills £2.55 Approx. 250 seeds

Winter Artic - This is an ideal variety for autumn sowing as it is very hardy. Ready to harvest in spring.

Just Seeds - £1-25 for 300 Seeds

Winter Density (Cos) - Lettuce Winder Density is the classic of winter lettuces. Winter Density is larger than Little Gem and packs a pleasing flavour alongside bigger size. A splendid cos lettuce, it remains a most popular winter lettuce variety.

Mr Fothergills - £2.15 Approx 1,250 seeds per pack . 

DT Brown £1-95  Approx. 1,200 seeds per pack.

Marshalls £1.79 Approx. 1,000 seeds per pack.

Marshalls Unwins £1-49 Approx. 1,200 seeds per pack.

Sow Seeds £1-45 Approx. 1,200 seeds per pack.

Premier Seeds Direct - Out of Stock

Simpsons Seeds - £1-30 for 800 seeds per pack

More Veg - 60p for 75 Seeds 

Winter Gem (Cos) - A specially bred Cos Lettuce for sowing under cover from September to January. Although not suitable for growing outdoors, hardy Lettuce 'Winter Gem' is ideal for cropping in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame for overwinter production. The small but delicious, crunchy, sweet hearts are equal in taste to 'Little Gem' making this variety perfect for winter salads. Height: 20cm (8").

Thompson & Morgan £2.99 for £150 seeds  

Winter Marvel - A traditional French variety chosen specifically for sowing in late summer and early autumn. It is quite hardy and will do very nicely in an unheated polytunnel or greenhouse, providing salads in winter and spring when they’re most appreciated.

It is remarkably cold-resistant and carried on in the polytunnel long after other varieties had given up!

Real Seeds £2.41 for 300 Seeds.