Lettuce - Baby Cos (Romaine)

DESCRIPTION

Also called romaine lettuce or 'Little Gem', the baby cos is a brilliant salad staple to grow in summer. Resistant to bolting in hot and humid conditions, you should be able to enjoy sweet leaves for as long as you keep it well mulched and water it properly. Protect from pests.

POT CARE AND PLANTING

Lettuce is easy to care for in a pot - transplant into a larger pot or a garden bed within 7 days. Soil level should be 1mm below the start of the lowest leaves.

WATERING

Lettuce is a medium water consumer - water it an average amount once per day (early morning or late afternoon is best in summer - water twice a day during the hottest months).

SUN EXPOSURE

Baby Cos can take about half a day of direct sun. Avoid letting the plants get too hot and thirsty, as this will eventually cause them to go to flower (or "bolt") and the leaves to become bitter - this variety is forgiving though, while you practice. I recommend planting it near an East or West facing fence or wall. Too little sun will make the lettuce go yellow - if that happens, you can easily move it.

COMPANION PLANTING

These lettuces are meant to stay small, up to 20cm tall, but eventually they will put up flower spikes that can reach 50cm. They will grow best close to everything else, and can benefit from the shade of larger plants which will prolong the time to flowering,

HARVESTING AND EATING

It's up to you when you eat this lettuce! If left undisturbed for a couple of months it will form a small upright head that can be cut off at ground level and used in a number of recipes - sliced, shredded, or pulled apart for its canoe-shaped leaves. Traditionally used to make Caesar salad, the leaves are robust enough for the head to be sliced lengthwise and grilled, before it's topped with a dressing. The roots if left in the ground will go back to producing delicate baby lettuce leaves. Alternatively, you can harvest the largest leaves whenever you want - their shape allows you to load them with fillings and use them as gluten free taco shells. This variety of lettuce would also suit being added to broths and clear soups in the last minute of cooking.

SEED SAVING AND PROPAGATION

If you don't pull the roots out before the end of the season, eventually a flower spike will form, bearing a cluster of yellow flowers. When you start to see them open a second time, they'll have fluffy winged seeds, since they're related to dandelions. Pick these flowers individually, or cut the whole spike off on a day when it's looking really fluffy, and dry them whole in a paper bag. Break up the dried flowers and discard the larger pieces of material - these seeds will be good for at least 3 years. You can re-sow your own crop right away, or save your lettuce seeds over the winter in something airtight. They're quick and easy to germinate - simply cover with about 3mm of soil and water daily, when daytime temperatures are above about 12 degrees.