Crop type: Lettuce
Lactuca sativa ‘Salad Bowl’
Common name: Oakleaf lettuce ‘Salad Bowl’ AGM
Crop slug: lettuce
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile. Check the source and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Salad Bowl’ is a loose-leaf lettuce with fresh lime-green, light and crunchy foliage. Its deeply lobed leaves resemble rounded oak leaves and gather into a loose heart rather than a dense cos or crisphead.
The outer leaves can be picked over several weeks as a cut-and-come-again crop while the centre continues growing. Sow from March to July for harvesting from May to September. This productive, attractive habit has earned the cultivar an RHS Award of Garden Merit.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.1–0.5 metre
- Ultimate spread
- 0.1–0.5 metre
- Time to ultimate size
- 1 year
The mature rosette is low and open, broadening as new oak-shaped leaves appear. Leave enough space for full heads, or plant more closely when intending to harvest repeated young leaves.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Chalk, clay, loam or sand
- Moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral or alkaline
Enrich fertile ground with organic matter and aim for a near-neutral soil where practical. Consistent moisture keeps the light leaves crisp and supports repeated regrowth, while good drainage prevents decay around the low rosette.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun or partial shade
- Aspect
- North-, south-, east- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H3 — hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK
Grow in good light for compact leaves, using partial shade to moderate strong summer heat if needed. A sheltered position reduces damage to the open lobed foliage. Protect the earliest sowings and ventilate covers on mild days.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
The plant forms a loose rosette of fresh lime-green leaves with long rounded lobes and an unmistakable oakleaf outline. The foliage is lighter and less compact than a hearting lettuce, and its margins are lobed rather than finely frilled. Harvest from late spring to early autumn before a flower stem develops.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Lactuca includes annuals, biennials, perennials and shrubs with alternate leaves, milky white sap and daisy-like flowers. Cultivated lettuce is selected for edible foliage and harvested before flowering.
Safety
No specific handling warning is listed on the exact RHS profile. Wash carefully around the deep lobes, discard damaged material and follow ordinary food-hygiene practice before serving.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Work organic matter into fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, preferably near neutral. Sow outdoors from March to July in small successive batches. Thin seedlings promptly so mature rosettes have air and light, or retain closer spacing for baby-leaf harvests.
Water at soil level in the morning and keep the shallow root zone consistently moist. Pick the largest clean outer leaves once they are useful, taking care not to injure the loose central heart, or cut the entire rosette at maturity. Harvests normally run from May to September according to sowing date.
Propagation
Propagate by seed. Sow succession batches in shallow drills or modules and avoid excessively hot seedbeds, which can inhibit lettuce germination.
Suggested locations
- Raised salad bed
- Patio container
- Vegetable plot
- Edible ornamental border
Pruning
No pruning is required. Selective outer-leaf picking is a harvest method; preserve the central heart if cut-and-come-again growth is wanted.
Pests
May be susceptible to birds, slugs, snails and root aphids. Protect seedlings and inspect beneath the loose outer leaves regularly.
Diseases
May be susceptible to grey mould, lettuce downy mildew and lettuce mosaic virus in overwintering crops. Avoid crowding, water early at soil level and remove affected material promptly.