Freckles is a lovely heirloom, combining crisp Romaine leaves with pretty crinkled glossy green leaves speckled with maroon, very tasty. Being slow to bolt this variety will be adding colour and flavour to your salads for many weeks. It can be sown from as early as February to as late as September giving you plenty of opportunity to grow and enjoy Price for 75 seeds
SOW: a little seed 15mm deep every 2-3 weeks in spring and summer to give you a succession of lettuces. You can start them in modules and transplant so that there is no need to thin but avoid sowing in very warm weather. In the height of summer these prefer to be shaded by taller plants so pop them in around crops such as leafy brassicas. Freckles is a good choice for early protected sowing (in a coldframe or conservatory) from February and you can also sow these again in September under cloches as the weather cools.
GROW: plant out when large enough to do so at about 30-35cm apart. Watch out for slugs and snails – they love lettuces! Being slow to bolt Freckles will be adding colour and flavour to your salads for many weeks. You can pick this from baby leaf (when still mainly green)right up to mature heads – the flavour is great at every stage, you will notice that the colour deepens as they grow
EAT: fresh in salad – enjoy the flavour on its own or try mixing with a range of other leaves such as Salad Burnet, Okahijiki and Pak Choi.
