[JayG]

Never grown these before, and can't remember ever having had more than one from the supermarket in the past.

I've got a row of them I'm growing tightly packed as cut-and-come-again (another way of saying I couldn't be bothered to thin them out!) Not surprisingly these have been forced upwards like baby cos, but the ones I transplanted into some space now look like small soft-leaved flat lettuces, although one or two are showing signs of hearting up but in a somewhat upwards direction. I think that's what they're supposed to do as they are a mini-cos lettuce but with other types that would suggest they are about to bolt!

I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm losing sleep over it but I can't help wondering whether this growing behaviour is "normal" for this variety?

+ + + + +

A second question involves the winter version of Little Gem, which the seedsmen's blurb suggests can be grown throughout the winter.
Has anyone any experience with these? (I'm really looking for things to grow in the greenhouse in winter.)

[mumofstig]

I'm not sure what's happening with your Little Gem, they sound as confused as I am

But I've grown Winter Gem in the greenhouse with success, in the past 

[Aidy]

The winter ones I have had great success with, but not in the greenhouse, outside under clotches, I think because of the better air flow.
I also find little gems tend to bolt mid summer around here so I grow the butterhead types which seem better, I grow little at the start of the season then switch to butterheads then onto winter gems from autumn onwards.

[arugula]

Did you described some as soft leaved, not sure about that although I have seen that here too  , but ours grow upwards eventually, as though they are going to go to seed but they don't go bitter, so I love them!  They sound quite normal to me. 

[JayG]

Just checked the packet to make sure they are described as Little Gem cos lettuce rather than some variant (they are!) and also had a close look at the transplanted ones.

Although a couple of days ago they looked much more like butterhead lettuce the upward growth now looks reasonably controlled (rather than the bolting sort of growth.)

Needless to say all 20 or so of them look as if they will mature together, and that's apart from the cut-and-come-again ones, mixed salad leaves, and "proper" cos lettuces (all of which are just about ready now!) 

One of these years I will match supply and demand!
One of these years I will match supply and demand!
One of these years I will match supply and demand!

[Fisherman]

Try growing them close together initially which encourages them to grow like a cos lettuce then thin them out to about 6"- 8"apart after about 4 - 6 weeks dependent on how much growth they have put on. They do grow better early or later in the year as they do tend to bolt quickly in hot dry weather.

I know I will never match supply and demand

[arugula]

I seem to remember tasting lettuce soup and enjoying it. The French cook with it in a few ways, including with peas. But don't tell DD they cook the peas....

[mumofstig]

One of these years I will match supply and demand!
One of these years I will match supply and demand!
One of these years I will match supply and demand!

sorry, but you won't Even when you do the right thing, and sow little and often, blloming nature has a fiendish way of still getting them ready all at the same time

[JayG]

One of these years I will match supply and demand!

Sorry, but you won't Even when you do the right thing, and sow little and often, blloming nature has a fiendish way of still getting them ready all at the same time

Too true Mum!

Next jobby is to start looking for recipes using cooked, frozen, lettuce puree (I'm sure there are thousands out there!) 

[arugula]

Next jobby is to start looking for recipes using cooked, frozen, lettuce puree (I'm sure there are thousands out there!) 

Yes, I've already given you a start. 

[shokkyy]

Little Gem are my favourites. The ones I grow are not as tightly packed as the supermarkt jobbies, but they're nice and crispy and are exactly the right size for a side salad for two people. I've never known them to bolt, actually. They've always been very well behaved for me. And what's even weirder is every time I sow a batch of half a dozen, prick them out and then plant them out, they always grow in descending order, so each of the six is ready a few days before the next   And why is it that the ones I grow will stay crisp for several days in a bowl in the fridge, even after being cut and washed, but the supermarket jobbies never do? I didn't know you could get a winter version though, I'll have to try some of those.

I love Iceberg to eat, but when I grow them they never heart up, nice leaves but very quickly get straggly and bolt and every predator in the world loves them. Little Gem and a few red cut and come again leaves tend to be my mainstay.

[rhysdad]

Little gem are all i grow now, can't be bothered with salad leaves which bolt all too easily and, frankly, are bitter tasting at best. I sow them thinly in a 4' shallow trough and thin them out to 6" apart. They mature in around 8 weeks so i sow every two weeks for succession. They keep relatively well and i'm going to have one today for my lunch. Crisp, fresh and sweet, Luvvly jubbly!!

[Debz]

I have grown little Gem's this year and I am well chuffed with them.  I started them in little pots then planted them between my leeks because that is the only space I had at the time.  They are fabulous, sturdy plants with really well packed hearts.  Will definately be growing these again next year only more of them.