How to Grow Lettuce
'Amaze' from Seed
A compact cos with dense, sweet hearts and good bolt resistance. Sow a short row every fortnight for lettuce from May until autumn.
'Amaze' is a compact cos lettuce with dense, sweet hearts and good resistance to bolting, which is what usually ends a summer lettuce early. It stands well in warm weather rather than running to seed at the first hot spell.
The leaves are crisp and slightly sweeter than a standard cos, and the heads are small enough that one feeds two people without half going soft in the fridge. It is an easy, reliable choice for beginners.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Crop Type
Compact cos lettuce
Sowing Time
March to August
Harvest
May to October
Sow Every
2 weeks
Spacing
Around 25cm
Difficulty
1 out of 5, very easy
Understanding the Crop
'Amaze' is an open-pollinated cos lettuce, Lactuca sativa. Cos types form upright heads of long, crisp leaves around a dense, sweet heart.
Lettuce is a cool-season crop. Heat and dry soil push plants to bolt, and this variety is chosen because it holds its heart well in warmer weather.
Sow little and often
Sow a short row every fortnight from March to August. Sowing a whole packet at once gives you forty lettuces in the same week, which nobody wants.
When & How to Sow
Sow under cover from March, and outdoors from April to August.
Summer sowing
Lettuce seed can fail to germinate in hot conditions. In midsummer, sow in the evening, water the drill first, and shade the row until seedlings appear.
Sow thinly. Sow 1cm deep in rows 30cm apart, or a pinch of seed per module. Seedlings appear in one to two weeks.
Thin or plant out. Thin rows in stages to around 25cm apart, or plant module-raised seedlings out at that spacing once they have four or five leaves.
Water well. Keep the soil evenly moist, especially in warm weather.
Growing On Tips
Even moisture
Regular watering keeps leaves sweet and reduces bolting.
Slug watch
Protect young plants, especially after rain.
Midsummer shade
Summer sowings do better with light shade from taller crops.
Pots and gaps
Compact heads suit containers and gaps between slower crops.
Air flow
Correct spacing helps prevent mildew in damp autumn weather.
Fortnightly rows
Short, frequent sowings avoid gluts and gaps.
Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Seed won't germinate in summer | Soil too hot | Sow in the evening, water the drill and shade the row. |
| Plants run to seed | Heat, drought or left too long | Water regularly and harvest promptly. |
| Seedlings disappear | Slugs and snails | Protect young plants and check after rain. |
| Sticky leaves, curled tips | Aphids | Rinse off or encourage natural predators. |
| Yellow patches, grey fuzz beneath | Downy mildew | Space plants well and water the soil, not the leaves. |
When to Harvest
Cut whole heads when the hearts feel firm, usually eight to ten weeks after sowing. From fortnightly sowings, you can pick from May until October.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Sow | ||||||||||||
| 🥬 Harvest |
Crop Specifications
Sweet cos hearts all summer
Sow a short row every fortnight, keep it watered, and cut crisp, sweet lettuces from May until autumn.
Shop Lettuce Amaze Seeds →