Lettuce

I originally posted this question to the organic forum, but didn't get any responses. Hopefully someone here can give me some advice:

I have some looseleaf lettuce planted. I've been picking the larger leaves as the plants have grown and we've had wonderful salads. A couple of the plants started to flower so I cut off the whole plant. A friend told me that I could pinch the flower off and get more growth out of it. Can I do that without the leaves getting bitter? If I can, can I do it more than once? Thanks! Margaret

Like most plants of that type you can get a bit more growth by pinching off the flower stalks as they form. It would be a continuous process and will become less and less effective as the weather warms, but you should be able to extend your picking season several weeks, Jst be sure to get before the flowers form.

Thanks Farmerdill! So it won't make the lettuce bitter? Margaret

veggiemom...cutting back the flower won't make it bitter. Usually the heat is what does that and also when the flower begins making seeds.

Some types of lettuce are much more "heat tolerant" than other kinds.

Some types of my loose-head lettuce (Buttercrunch comes to mind, as does Paris White Cos)(Buttercrunch being much more tolerant of heat) will get slightly bitter and if you break a stem you can see a white ooze exiting. If you "hydro-cool" it though (Hydro-cool...fancy name for "dunk it in cold water after picking"!), then refriderate it I've noticed the white ooze turns back to clear and the flavor is much better!

It will also help if you pick your lettuce when the air temp is not so hot.

Edited for spelling, TWICE!


This message was edited Jan 15, 2005 10:25 PM

This message was edited Jan 15, 2005 10:26 PM

Horseshoe, Thanks for the info. I usually pick my lettuce in the morning and refrigerate it until dinner. I'll have to try "dunking it". Margaret

I've had good luck with looseleaf lettuce in windowboxes, harvesting in a cut-and-come-again fashion. Cut the whole plant (not just the outer leaves), leaving a 1/2 to 1 inch stub. I think mine regrew half a dozen times last summer before it just got too hot.

Critterologist - Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize you could the whole plant and have it come back. I've always just taken off the outer leaves. Just a few weeks ago I planted some red leaf in a planter box to have closer to my door. Margaret

I dunk mine too Margaret - in ice water! If I have the time too I take a big plastic container out with me when I pick and put them straight in cool water as soon as I pick. I just shear the whole tops off mine and they come back. I love lettuce in containers too! Keeps the rabbits away!!! Plus if you go on a trip you can take your fresh salad with you! LOL


Nicole

Lettuce to go - that's a great idea ncgardenaddict! I'm sure my husband will love trying to find more room in our van when we travel. Actually, he's very supportive of my gardening. He's actually the one that got me started a few months ago just asking for a few greens like kale and mustard. Little did he know we'd end up with broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard, snow peas, carrots, radishes, etc. But we're loving all of it. Margaret