Leaf Lettuce (Green Oak Leaf) in March: monthly care

Green oak leaf lettuce is a cut-and-come-again salad crop that thrives in cool conditions and tolerates light shade, making it ideal for succession sowing from March through August. Choose a spot in full sun or partial shade—afternoon shade is particularly useful during hot summer months to prevent bolting. The soil should be moisture-retentive but free-draining; loam or sandy soil enriched with garden compost or well-rotted manure dug in a few weeks before sowing is ideal. You can sow directly outdoors from March onwards once the soil temperature reaches around 7°C, or start earlier under cloches or fleece for protection. Sow seeds thinly in shallow drills about 1 cm deep, in rows spaced 30 cm apart. Alternatively, broadcast seed in blocks or wide drills for a more informal harvest. Germination usually takes seven to fourteen days. Once seedlings have two true leaves, thin them to 30 cm apart if you want full heads, or leave them closer (around 10–15 cm) if you plan to harvest as baby leaves. For a continuous supply, sow a short row every two to three weeks from March to August. Summer sowings benefit from a cooler spot or dappled shade to reduce stress. Water the drill before sowing if the soil is dry, then water gently after sowing to settle the seeds. Keep the soil consistently moist during germination. Mulch lightly around young plants with compost to retain moisture and suppress weeds, but keep mulch clear of the leaves to avoid rot.