[smellykipper]

is it worth planting some lettuces on the allotment or will they get eaten by slugs,snails,pigeons we dont get many slugs or snails as the soil is fairly sandy.

i have sown way to many for my small pollytunnel  blush 

SK

[al78]

Use them as sacrificial crops for the crops you want to protect from slugs.

[Baldy]

I haven't bothered myself - though I might this year - but some of my friends on our site got some amazing lettuce last year - by and large they grew them under some protection (and I noticed evidence of a lot of slug pellets...)
I always struggle with giving them enough attention - as I work away a lot so can't get to the plot as much as I'd like.

Cheers,
Balders

[Beetroot Queen]

We grow loads of lettuce out on the plot they do great at the start and the end of the season.  Middle is too hot unless you have some shade.

[DD.]

Oddly enough, lettuce is one of the things we don't have to protect from the pigeons. Slugs yes, but pigeons no.

[mjpalin]

I tend to plant some young plants under the runner bean frame to help keep them cooler as the weather heats up, and (generally) I can just about harvest them before the beans completely take over. Definitely need protecting from the slugs, but the pigeons tend to leave them alone.

[Spr0ut]

I use the "no mans' land between pea rows for lettuce as it is one veg which actually benefits from a bit of shade and it frees up other ground for other veggies which need more light.

[Maarten]

I tend to just plant them here and there, wherever there is some space left. Some unlucky ones may fall prey to slugs, but overall they are mostly left alone (I do use some ferric phosphate pellets though). It may be good to wait with planting out untill they have a decent size.

Maarten

[cadalot]

Planning to grow in cat litter trays in between the sweet corn that is going to be grown using weed membrane with holes as I don't want all that weeding like last year 

[CDave]

I always start off in modules and plant out as late as I dare (when the plant is a really good size) in raised beds. The size of the plant reduces the time available for slugs n snails to eat them! they are covered in netting to stop birds. I always expect to loose a few though. And never pull them out if they get a bit eaten. Just leave them for the slugs and they just might leave your good plants alone!!

[poor gardener Joe]

I planted some Romaine lettuce last weekend in a raised bed, covered them with a net and sprinkled a few slug
pellets which seem to have done the trick.
Or maybe slugs don't like Romaine lettuce.

[Spr0ut]

@ Dave - it is a theory of mine that if you leave the munched lettuce plant in the slug/s will go back to that one each time as the slugs seem to develop a memory map of where the food is and will bypass a healthy plant to get to the one they know is there.

OK - its just a theory!

[cadalot]

I don't know why but my lettuce is growing really slowly this year, last year they seemed to be on fast forward all the time! 

[CDave]

@ Dave - it is a theory of mine that if you leave the munched lettuce plant in the slug/s will go back to that one each time as the slugs seem to develop a memory map of where the food is and will bypass a healthy plant to get to the one they know is there.

OK - its just a theory!

Great minds think alike SprOut !!!

[smellykipper]

Oddly enough, lettuce is one of the things we don't have to protect from the pigeons. Slugs yes, but pigeons no.

ive been told different from other allotment holders here, maybe the pigeons over here near Melton are a better class 
i shall plant some out soon and see how they get on 

SK