Rocalba Lamb's Lettuce

Information

Alchimia Grow Shop presents Rocalba Lamb's Lettuce Seeds, a delicious and easy to cultivate plant suitable for vegetable gardens and pots.

Lamb's lettuce, cultivation in autumn and winter

Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta) is an annual herbaceous plant native to the temperate regions of Europe, the Caucasus and Asia Minor (Anatolia). In Spain it can be found practically all over the Iberian Peninsula, with the exception of Galicia and the southern third of the peninsula.

It is an autumn-winter plant. It should be germinated in mid-summer in a seedbed, or in late summer if sown in open ground. It is advisable to soak the seeds 24 hours before the sowing. The planting frame should be 30-35cm x 15-20cm, in a substrate rich in worm humus, with a light, fresh texture and good drainage. After 7-8 days the plants start to sprout.

The lamb's lettuce grows between 7-40cm, producing rounded leaves distributed in a rosette of a bright greyish green colour. In the spring it produces clusters of bluish inflorescences from its central part.

Lamb's lettuce, delicious and very nutritious

This plant does not resist heat or drought, so it needs to be placed in a semi-shaded area in order to provide good results. It is highly recommended to pad the substrate around it to help keep the roots moist, preventing weeds from proliferating around it.

It requires frequent but moderate watering, so as to avoid problems at root level such as rotting or lack of oxygen. It may be wise to install an automatic irrigation system to facilitate the watering task. It is also advisable to use preventive phytosanitary products for rust and powdery mildew.

In about 40-50 days from germination, the central tender shoots can be harvested, encouraging many more to grow. Lamb's lettuce is ideal for salads, providing a slightly acidic intense taste, as well as vitamins A, C, B6, B9, E, beta-carotene, potassium, phosphorus, fibre, magnesium, iron and iodine. It helps combat anaemia, as well as being a diuretic, laxative, digestive, relaxing and antioxidant.

Rocalba Lamb's Lettuce info:

• Lamb's lettuce seeds
• Sachet: 6g
• Germination: mid-late summer
• Sprouts after 7-10 days
• Ready to harvest in 40-50 days
• Place in Semi-Shade
• Sensitive to heat and drought
• Requires frequent and moderate irrigation
• Requires rich, light and well-drained soils
• It is recommended to pad the substrate