Lettuce Information, Help, and Tips

[Shawn]

Here I will post some Tips and Tricks for lettuce I have come across.  

Before I begin, if you have a Tip or helpful information you would like to add, please PM me with it and I will update the thread.

• Want to ward off brown lettuce tips? Brown edges usually happen when you trim with a knife or scissors. The metal can brown or "rust" the tips. Plastic knives help lessen then browning. The best way to avoid browning is to tear the lettuce.
    Tearing by hand allows the leaves to follows the natural leaf veins and leads to less harmful cell rupturing, which encourages browning.
  
  
• Once cut, to keep your lettuce fresh, wrap it in a paper towel or dish cloth that has been wet and wrung out.  Place the lettuce in the cloth.  Gently and loosely roll it up.  You can place it in a container or zipped up baggie.  Keep in a refrigerator until ready to use.   (NOTE:  Never rinse lettuce you purchase until ready to use.  It will last longer)
  
  
• Spinning lettuce dry is said to be the best way to dry the lettuce and keep it with a lot less bruises.  When I do wash lettuce I always place it on a towel.  I lay a towel on top and gently pat to dry.  Works for me.
  
  
• Fruits with high-ethylene in them (ie; avocados, apples, tomatoes, pears, kiwis and cantaloupe) release gases as they ripen, causing other produce to age prematurely. Keep these fruits away from the lettuce to keep your greens fresh and crisp.
  
  
• Do you have slightly wilted lettuce?  If so you can crisp it up.  All you need to do is soak the cut lettuce in ice water for 2 - 5 minutes. Dry as normal and enjoy.
  
  

• Lettuce can really be harvested at any size. The smaller the leaf, the more tender and mild the leaf will be. If you want a more robust flavor, especially with mustard greens, wait until they are large and fully matured. Most mustard leaves can reach 8" long.
  
  
• When harvesting lettuce, try to do it during the coolest part of the day. It will help keep the lettuce from wilting as quickly. (Outdoor Tip)

[Shawn]

Tips for Harvesting Lettuce
Source: Aerogarden

Lettuce is one of the fastest growing indoor crops you can grow, and it's a staple. Who doesn't love to be healthy with delicious home-grown lettuce, or add a fresh leaf of romaine on their sandwich, or a salad of tasty arugula? And with AeroGarden, you can enjoy delicious Spring greens all throughout fall and winter! Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your salad greens grown in your AeroGarden.

-- Keep lights low. Lettuce thrives on lots of light, like the light provided automatically in your AeroGarden. The more light, the bigger the leaves get, and the more lettuce starts to form the big heads we’re familiar with in stores (lettuce grown indoors under artificial lights rarely demonstrates this “heading” growth habit). When you prune, prune evenly, with the goal of never raising your AeroGarden light hood. But don’t let your lettuce brown up in the lights either. Harvest and eat it before you get there!

-- Position Grow Lights 4 – 6” above your plants. We have found that with our new LED lights, plants grow much more quickly! While this is great for most plants, lettuce can ‘bolt’ and can taste bitter if they grow too tall too fast. We recommend keeping the grow lights at least 4 – 6” above the plants as they grow. When they are fully grown, it may be necessary to harvest the tops of the plants regularly to keep them well below the lights. Enjoy a fresh salad with the trimmings!

-- More light. In keeping with the light theme, if lower lights are good, more lights is better. You’ll get bigger yields in an AeroGarden when you grow in one of our high watt large-capacity gardens, like the Bounty or Farm.

-- “Toughen-up” your lettuce. Lettuce grown indoors is surprisingly tender. Many people love this. Some people miss that extra crunch. The lettuce is tender because it is grown in the “spa-like” conditions of an indoor garden, with no sun, wind or bugs to toughen it up. An easy way to put more bite in your lettuce is to aim a small fan at the lettuce while it is growing. The constant movement on the plants requires them to create tougher leaves to stand up to the wind. Many people find this helps create the texture they are looking for. And it helps with our next point.

-- Keep it cool. Lettuce is a cool-weather crop. It thrives in temperatures from 55-70 degrees. Above that, it can tend to bolt because it thinks it is summer and time to go to seed. For best production, keep your lettuce in the coolest spot in your home – you’ll have trouble finding a spot so cool it isn’t happy! While you might think that a sunny window is helping your harvest, the heat generated could be doing more harm than good. A fan helps here too.

-- Variety matters. AeroGarden varieties have been thoroughly tested for fast germination and good growth in indoor gardening conditions. Our Salad Greens seed pod kit is literally ready for a first harvest at just 3 weeks. When choosing your own variety, you may need to do a little experimenting to find varieties that grow well in your environment. But that’s part of the fun, especially when the experiments taste so good!

[isntitfun]

What are the best seed variety for lettuce?

[Shawn]

Feb 19, 2021 10:58:57 GMT -5 isntitfun said:

What are the best seed variety for lettuce?

Everyone has different tastes.  There are some that are bitter, some are sweet some have a peppery taste.  What type of lettuce do you usually like?

[Shawn]

Article from Renee's about Lettuce.

[lynnee]

Jun 15, 2022 4:59:49 GMT -5 Shawn said:

Article from Renee's about Lettuce.

Nice article!

[paul1975]

I am new with lettuce growing. I am experiencing yellowing and browning (crusty) on some of the tips. I have been using cal mag recently. Any tips would be great. Thanks


Attachment Deleted 

[lynnee]

paul1975 , My outer lettuce leaves always dry out at the tips as they get older. I try to avoid this by harvesting them early, using the "cut and come again" method recommended by AG. You actually get the freshest-tasting lettuce if you harvest the outer leaves--without taking more than 1/3 of the plant--as they develop.

When I don't get to the lettuce soon enough, I just tear off the big leaves and discard the brown, yellow, or discolored parts. The remaining portions are perfectly edible. I don't ever try to grow a full head of lettuce, like you see in grocery stores, before harvesting.

With lettuce, I get good results using AG nutes only. Lettuce grows so quickly, it doesn't seem to have time for supplements!

[paul1975]

thanks. I was trying to let them grow bigger,most likely the issue.

[scarfguy]

Lettuce tip burn seems to be a problem for all hydroponic lettuce growers.  

Here's a link with some really good information:

Lettuce tip burn

It seems to be caused by the rapid growth rate of AG lettuce.  High humidity, lack of air circulation, and calcium deficiency all contribute to the problem.

[lynnee]

Aug 4, 2022 19:15:45 GMT -5 scarfguy said:

Lettuce tip burn seems to be a problem for all hydroponic lettuce growers.  

Here's a link with some really good information:

Lettuce tip burn

It seems to be caused by the rapid growth rate of AG lettuce.  High humidity, lack of air circulation, and calcium deficiency all contribute to the problem.

That is a fabulous article, scarfguy ! I hope that paul1975 has a few minutes to look at it, too!  The article explains why one of my current lettuces, Marvel of Four Seasons, developed leaf burn in the middle of the head.  

[paul1975]

Aug 4, 2022 19:15:45 GMT -5 scarfguy said:

Lettuce tip burn seems to be a problem for all hydroponic lettuce growers.  

Here's a link with some really good information:

Lettuce tip burn

It seems to be caused by the rapid growth rate of AG lettuce.  High humidity, lack of air circulation, and calcium deficiency all contribute to the problem.

Thanks. I will look into this. Humidity should not be a issue since I do have a dehumidifier in basement and keep it under 50%. Air circulation and nutrients most likely.

[jamesgarner]

The short answer is yes, it is safe to eat bitter lettuce. While the bitterness may not be pleasant, it is not harmful to your health. In fact, some research has shown that bitter compounds in vegetables can actually have health benefits!



So why does bitterness happen in the first place? It’s usually caused by one of two things: either the plant was exposed to too much stress during its growth, or the weather was too hot when the plant was maturing. Stress can come from a number of sources, including drought, nutrient deficiencies, pests, and even diseases. Heat stress is often to blame for bitterness in lettuce that was grown during the summer months.Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to avoid bitterness in your lettuce. First, make sure to water your plants regularly and evenly. This will help prevent stress from drought conditions. Second, be sure to fertilize your plants regularly with a balanced fertilizer. This will help prevent nutrient deficiencies that can lead to bitterness. Finally, try to avoid growing lettuce during the hottest months of the year. If you must grow during these months, choose a heat-resistant variety of lettuce or provide some form of shade for your plants

Preventing Bitter Lettuce

It is possible to prevent bitter lettuce by taking some simple steps. First, start with high-quality seeds or transplants from a reputable source. Make sure to plant them in well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Once the plants are established, water them deeply and evenly, keeping the leaves dry to prevent fungal diseases. Fertilize regularly with a balanced fertilizer and harvest your lettuce when it is young and tender for the best flavor.[4]



Common Causes of Bitter Lettuce

Environmental Conditions

Lettuce plants can experience stress from a variety of environmental conditions that cause the leaves to become bitter. For example, lettuce that is planted in soil that is too dry or has poor drainage may be more likely to turn bitter. Additionally, lettuce that is exposed to high temperatures (over 85 degrees Fahrenheit) for extended periods of time may also become bitter.



Other common causes of bitterness in lettuce include nutrient deficiencies, pests, and disease. Lettuce plants that do not receive enough nitrogen, potassium, or magnesium are often more likely to produce bitter-tasting leaves. Additionally, aphids and other pests can damage the plant and make the leaves taste bitter. Finally, diseases like downy mildew can also cause the leaves to turn bitter

[darais211]

yes and no, there are some cultivars of lettuce that are ment to be bitter. You are right about the stress and weather the environment is a huge factor on almost any flower, dry spells and and heat trigger a process called "Bolting" in lettuce which is just saying that the lettuce is getting near the end of its life and its starting to produce flowers and stuff like that to try and pass on its genetics (thats what the bitterness is).

Water stress can also cause lettuce to become bitter. The lack of moisture can be linked to the hot weather that instigates bolting, or it may be an independent cause of bad-tasting homegrown romaine, buttercrunch, or loose leaf varieties.

This is an unforgiving cycle for us vegetable gardeners. Even if you notice your plants are forming buds and pinch them off, you’ll only buy yourself a few extra days of mild-tasting greens out of the deal.

[AnnSako]

I learned so much from this article. I just started growing lettuce in AG about 3 months ago. Today I looked at a Deer Tongue lettuce that's about 15 days old and saw brown tips in the inside (heart) of the lettuce AND brown tips at the outside of the leaves. I thought I'd done something wrong (of course). That article told me what to do about both areas of brown tips--manage the air flow and manage the height of the AG light so the lettuce doesn't grow too fast. (At least, that's what I took from the article!) 

[AnnSako]

Oct 12, 2023 15:04:28 GMT -5 AnnSako said:

I learned so much from this article. I just started growing lettuce in AG about 3 months ago. Today I looked at a Deer Tongue lettuce that's about 15 days old and saw brown tips in the inside (heart) of the lettuce AND brown tips at the outside of the leaves. I thought I'd done something wrong (of course). That article told me what to do about both areas of brown tips--manage the air flow and manage the height of the AG light so the lettuce doesn't grow too fast. (At least, that's what I took from the article!) 

Update: I raised the AG light to 6". (I had it at 4".) I set a rotating fan to low to give air flow on the lettuce. All the new leaves that have grown since I did that 10 days ago have NO brown tips, whether they are in the heart of the lettuce or at the outside of the leaves. The advice in that article WORKS.

[AnnSako]

Growth conditions for lettuce

Lettuce grows fast because it has a simple leaf structure. (Compare a kale leaf with a lettuce leaf and you'll see what I mean.) This makes lettuce more affected by a sudden change in growth conditions.

Example: I had lettuce and kale growing in my downstairs foyer in the summer because it's cooler there. Lettuce and kale both like cool conditions. I planned to leave the plants there over the winter because I thought the temperature wouldn't get lower than 50 degrees. I thought both the lettuce and kale could handle that.

When the outside temperature stayed in the 20s for a few days, the foyer temperature at night went down to 45 and stayed around 50 during the day. The kale plants looked fine and kept growing (slowed down though), but some of the lettuce plants started to wilt. The types I was growing with the thinner leaves (Aero garden Marvel of the 4 Seasons, Rouge d'Hiver) wilted. The Aerogarden Paris Cos with thicker leaves didn't, but growth slowed down.

I moved one of the Marvel of the 4 Seasons plants upstairs to an Aerogarden that's near the floor of our living room (temperature there in winter about 62-65) to see what would happen. It recovered fast and went back to producing lots of leaves.

So, I moved all the lettuce and kale upstairs to the living room (1 Harvest, 1 Harvest XL, 1 Bounty Basic). The kale had no problem, just started growing faster--but almost all the lettuce plants (especially the Paris Cos) went into shock and grew way more slowly. The Paris Cos plants looked way less healthy than they had in the foyer.

Now, after a couple of weeks, the lettuces are starting to come back, but with some damage. (That first lettuce plant I moved just happened to  handle the move well.) The lessons I learned are: there's a limit to how low the temperature can be for lettuce and, don't move your lettuce plants all of a sudden to a really different growing environment. The growth conditions upstairs were actually better for the lettuce, but the move shocked the plants too much.

Aerogarden growing is for sure trial and error! But it's also fun and interesting! 

[scarfguy]

Good information AnnSako. Thanks for sharing!