Tom Thumb’s firm small hearts and delicious flavour ought to find favour with the pickiest of gardeners: it will earn its keep in the smallest of spaces (perfect for square foot gardening). It isn’t quite as small as the name might suggest but you can harvest the whole lettuce for your meal: enjoy one lovely butterhead lettuce at a time!
SOW: a little seed, 5-10mm deep, every 2-3 weeks for a succession of lettuces from spring to early summer with earlier sowings possible with protection. Starting them off in trays or modules allows you to transplant rather than thin.
GROW: Tom Thumb can be spaced at 15-20cm apart. You can cut this variety early for use as baby leaves and allow it to sprout again for a second picking.
EAT & ENJOY: gorgeous in salad – you can mix it up by adding a range of other leaves such as leaf beet, rocket or Okahijiki.
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