Most lettuces come from the daisy family, but they can still be planted together in a raised bed. Plant collards or radishes between the rows of lettuce, cut lettuce and picking lettuce. Lamb's lettuce from the valerian family can then be sown in late summer.
Lettuce feels at home in the raised bed
Lettuce and romaine lettuce
With its soft, aromatic leaves and loose heads, lettuce comes in green and red-leaved varieties. The newer ones are even mildew tolerant and still have a subtle, nutty aroma. Romaine lettuce, on the other hand, is one of the typical summer lettuce because they don’t bloom during long days and form beautiful heads. Batavia and Iceberg lettuce also have crisp leaves and firm heads, and are grown in summer for harvest in the fall. Lettuce, romaine lettuce and Batavia should be preferred and planted directly in the bed as young plants.
cut lettuce
Cut lettuce is one of the first fresh vegetables you can harvest in the garden year. There are many cold-resistant varieties that can easily be grown in raised beds until the first frost. When it comes to lettuce, cut lettuce and pick-leaf, there are varieties for early spring cultivation, varieties for summer cultivation and those that are best suited for the second half of the year in autumn. You should pay attention to this when choosing a variety, because if they are sown or planted at the "wrong" time of year, premature flowering can occur - the lettuce "shoots". Cut lettuce grows quickly and can be harvested just a few weeks after sowing.
pick lettuce
The pick-lettuces include the red or green-leaved oak leaf, lollo and beak lettuce (these are special varieties with pointed leaves). They can either be harvested gradually starting from the outside or as a whole loose head. They are usually a bit crunchier than lettuce.
chicory salads
Endive and radicchio are chicory salads for autumn cultivation. They contain more bitter substances and therefore have their very own, typical taste. Frizeé salads and sugar loaf also belong in this group.
Lamb's lettuce
Lamb's lettuce is also known as lamb's lettuce, rapunzel's lettuce or lamb's lettuce. Sowing directly into the bed is possible from September / October, the seeds will not germinate if the weather is too warm. If you want to harvest in autumn, you can buy young plants in late summer, which are planted in small tuffs in the bed. In winter lamb's lettuce should be covered with a fleece.
tips
Young lettuce plants must be planted as "high" as possible so that the leaves are airy. The reason: lettuce that is set too low does not develop proper heads.