Iceberg lettuce can be harvested once it forms the pale round head familiar from the supermarket. Ideally, you’ll pick the lettuce when the outer leaves are pale green, before they turn brown. If they do change to brown, or a flowering stalk appears, harvest immediately.
What does leaf lettuce look like when it’s ready to harvest?
You can tell that your lettuce is mature when it looks dark green and the leaves look open; leaves should also overlap in a tight bunch. Romaine lettuce should be harvested when it’s full size, but just before it’s reached maturity.
Can you harvest outer leaves of iceberg lettuce?
You can extend the life of your iceberg lettuce by harvesting the outer leaves first, which will allow the inner leaves to continue growing. If you are growing iceberg lettuce in a container garden, make sure to water it regularly, as containers can dry out quickly.
Does iceberg lettuce regrow after cutting?
Lettuce regrows once its leaves have been cut or picked off the main stem. As long as the root is intact in the ground and there are at least 1-2 inches of stem and leaves at the base, lettuce will shoot new growth in as little as a week. The cut-and-come-again harvesting method is the most popular.
How do I know when to pick my head lettuce?
Harvesting heads of lettuce is done by cutting them away from the stalk when the head is still firm. Use a sharp knife and simply make a clean cut below the head through the stem. The outer leaves may be removed if needed. Morning is the best time for the harvest as heads will be at their freshest.
What time of day should you harvest lettuce?
Lettuce: Pick lettuce in the cool early morning while they leaves are still crisp. Lettuce can be harvested as delicate baby greens, or as crisp, full-bodied heads. To harvest by the “Cut and Come Again,” method, cut with a scissors when lettuces reach about 4-5 inches tall to about 2” above the soil line.
How do you harvest lettuce without killing the plant?
To harvest head lettuce without killing the plant, use a sterilized gardening knife or shears. Cut the plant at the base of its stem, and make sure you cut the leaf a minimum of one inch above the soil, without damaging the roots. Keep watering the stem, and in another 50-60 days, you should have another lettuce.
How many times can you harvest lettuce?
You can grow leaf lettuce in rows for nice bundles of loose leaf lettuce, or you can sow it thickly in a garden bed or container for harvest as young, tender lettuce. By harvesting leaf lettuce through trimming it a few inches above the soil, you can get two to three harvests from one planting.
How long does it take for iceberg lettuce to mature?
between 55 and 90 days
Exact number days to maturity varies, and Iceberg lettuce plants may take somewhere between 55 and 90 days to be ready for harvest. Like most lettuce, Iceberg has a tendency to bolt quickly in hot weather, so it’s recommended to plant spring crops as early as possible.
Does iceberg lettuce keep producing?
Lettuce plants can be grown in water, but they don’t get enough nutrients to make a whole head of lettuce. However, it will sprout and produce enough leaves to eat as cut and come again.
How do you pick a good head of iceberg lettuce?
Choose fresh, crisp iceberg lettuce with springy, tight leaves. Avoid any heads of lettuce with dark or slimy spots. The leaves should not be limp or withered or have any brown or yellow edges. The outer leaves of a head of lettuce are the most nutritious and flavorful, but also the most prone to damage.
How often should lettuce be watered?
Lettuce has shallow roots, so plants need consistent watering. Check at least twice a week and water if the soil is dry down to 1 inch deep. Containers of lettuce need to be watered more frequently than garden beds, especially in the summer.
What does it mean when your lettuce bolts?
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is an annual vegetable in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10. Bolting in lettuce happens when the plant has matured and reached the end of its life cycle. This growth pattern also happens to many other cool-season plants, including cilantro, spinach, and broccoli.
Can you freeze lettuce?
Can you freeze lettuce? Not if you want to make tossed salad with the thawed out product. But for cooking and flavoring uses, yes, you can freeze lettuce. The reason you won’t be able to use the frozen lettuce to make salads is because the freezing process causes ice crystals to form in plant cells.
What to do with lettuce when it bolts?
You can easily trim bolted lettuce with gardening shears or with a sharp knife, but since the lettuce will be bitter to eat, it’s best to just pull the plants out. You can then replant if it’s early enough in the season.
Why is my lettuce bitter?
Common Causes of Bitter Lettuce
Most gardeners will tell you that bitter lettuce is the result of summer heat; lettuce is known as a cool season vegetable. When temperatures rise, the plant snaps into maturation mode and bolts — sends out a stalk and flowers. It’s during this process that bitter lettuce is produced.
What is the white stuff coming out of my lettuce?
The white sap is a milky fluid made of latex that’s naturally found in the lettuce and is completely harmless. The botanical name for the substance is lactucarium, which comes from lactus, the Latin word for milk (the botanical name for lettuce is lactuca sativa, which also stems from this word).
Should I cut the flowers off my lettuce?
When plants flower, it’s generally considered a good thing; however, in vegetables grown for their leaves, such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and other cole crops, bolting causes the flavor to turn bitter and the leaves to get smaller and tougher, making them inedible.
Why is my iceberg lettuce growing tall?
Most lettuce varieties are cool season crops. When the hot weather comes, they send up tall stalks that will flower and set seed. You’ll notice that the leaves begin to taste bitter around the same time the stalks elongate. This is called bolting.
Will head lettuce grow back?
Head lettuce will die back, but most leaf-lettuce plants renew efforts to produce leaves, if regularly watered after trimming. Results will often be smaller than the original plant, but you may be able to harvest a second, good-tasting crop within as little as two weeks.
How do you remove bugs from lettuce?
A little slug slithered on my leaf lettuce.
Tips for removing bugs from your veggies
- Soak in salt water to kill worms and other insects.
- Plunge in a deep cold bath.
- Put a little white vinegar in your soaking liquid.
- Cut veggies into bite-sized pieces and soak in water for about 30 minutes; you may need to repeat.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.