vegetable · leafy green

Lettuce — Tom Thumb

The quickest lettuce there is. Tom Thumb makes a single-serve head about the size of a tennis ball, ready in four to five weeks.

Lettuce — Tom Thumb seedling
Seedling
Mature Lettuce — Tom Thumb
Ready to pick
Thrives
12–18°C
Water
High
Difficulty
Beginner
Ready in
30–40  days
Spacing
15cm apart
Containers
Yes

How to plant it

  • Plant 15cm apart. These stay small, so you can tuck them into gaps that would crowd out a full-sized lettuce.
  • Water well at planting and keep the soil damp. A small head dries out faster than a big one.
  • Cut the whole head at four to five weeks. It is a one-person serving, so plant a few at a time rather than the lot at once.
  • Do not wait for it to get bigger. It will not. Small is the point of this one.
  • The best lettuce here for pots and window boxes. Anything 15cm deep will do.