[dankay123]

hi there quick question with my lettuces. i have planted a few lettuces back in aug-sept for winter lettuce and most have come on great. as they are growing do they heart up as mine are all quite loose with the leaves open instead of forming a head. all are continuing to make new leaves in the middle but the heart is really small. i have them in a mini tunnel

[compostqueen]

They could be loose leaf lettuces and you can just pick the leaves without pulling the whole plant. They are what's known as cut-and-come again 

Did you not get a label with them, or did you raise them from seed yourself

[dankay123]

heres some pics of my lettuces. it says on packet hearting mixed. these are about 6-8 weeks old.  any advice anyone

[Elmarto]

I was given some romaine seeds by a friend and they were supposed to heart up but didn't, so I just used them as cut and come again and they were great!

[dankay123]

the packet said hearting mixed with a picture of a iceberg looking lettuce. how big should i let these get before i cut them?

[Elmarto]

I think they look large enough to start taking the odd leaf now, just don't take too many!

[Elmarto]

Cut the larger leaves first, they look nice. Not sure how well they will grow now its getting colder

[dankay123]

they are in a mini tunnel just took it off for the pics. do you think they will heart up or not?

[Juli]

They look like cos lettuce to me...

[angelavdavis]

they are in a mini tunnel just took it off for the pics. do you think they will heart up or not?

Looking at your pics, they look like the leaves are starting to twist into a heart so I would be patient for a bit longer 

[mumofstig]

leaves are starting to twist into a heart so I would be patient for a bit longer 

I'd agree with that! Don't forget that at this time of year they grow much more slowly than they would in warmer weather

[dankay123]

so just leave them alone for now then? my mini tunnel is open at noth ends as i kept getting mould growing on the top of soil. will whis be enough protection from the frost as we have had 3 very mild ones here in manchester

[viettaclark]

Take just the bottom leaves now because they are usually wasted when you harvest a whole head. They will still heart eventually.
Have you sown more? I keep seedlings under cloche over the Winter and have lovely lettuce in early Spring.

[compostqueen]

They look fine and dandy and you could nick the lower leaves from them, but not too many off one plant.  I think they'll heart up nicely.    I can never wait, and nick leaves off them as I need them, but not from the middle

[dankay123]

i have 10 of them from that size to a little smaller. the smaller ones are shadowed by a windbreak that my neighbouring plot has put up which i have asked them to take down. my plot was ignored for 18 months so they put up the netted wind break fence to stop weeds spreading. heres my plot only had it for 3 months and the windbreak is on the left. just 4 more bed to clear at the front of the plot and ready for next season. quite proud of myself as i work 50 hours a week and have a 1 year old