How To Harvest Lettuce If you want to try then follow the article. If a stem is small, but the head passes the squeeze test it is likely ready to harvest. Most importantly do not let it get over-mature. Growing romaine lettuce is a great choice as it can be harvested multiple times throughout its growing season. The heads should be firm and compact, not airy or limp. Take an outer leaf of one of your plants and hold it toward the base at the thick white stem. Usable size means about 2" long for baby lettuce, and 5-6" long for more mature lettuce. If you go with leaf lettuce, then you’ll have to trim it off when it is about 4-8-inches tall. If they do bolt, it’s likely too warm to grow leaf lettuce. Once you've harvested your romaine, it's best to use it immediately for the best quality, although you can technically store head lettuce for up to two weeks. Give the head a light squeeze with your fingers. Try planting in early spring or the weeks of fall before the first frost. Before you plant your lettuce, learn more about the stages of romaine lettuce growth and the proper methods for harvesting. Harvesting lettuce will vary a little depending upon what kind of lettuce you have decided to grow. 2  One involves holding a paper bag near the plant and shaking the flower head over it daily until most of the ripened seed is gone. There should be some bounce-back indicating that it is full of moisture and not dry. The leaves of a mature Romaine lettuce plant should be crisp and crunchy. This is for full-sized Romaine, baby Romaine varieties will be smaller at the base. Be careful to break any clumps of dirt off of the roots if you don't want to track dirt into the kitchen. Get to them before the dew evaporates for the longest shelf life possible. Harvest and eat it before you get there! My Lettuce Is Not Growing Very Well and Is Wilting, Michigan State University: How to Grow Lettuce, Clemson University (Home & Garden Information Center): Lettuce, How to Harvest Romaine Lettuce in Your Garden. Romaine can also be harvested leaf by leaf to extend the harvest. Nutrient and water regiments are different, sunlight is different, pest damage can set plants back. To harvest whole lettuce plants, use a knife or a pair of scissors to cut them about an inch up from the ground. However, if you want to store the head for any number of days you must harvest early in the morning. To get the most from your lettuce plants harvest them at the right time of day. Nowadays, many people harvest lettuce in their homes. We will discuss how to harvest lettuce. The only real key to remember is to harvest lettuce in the morning before the sun’s heat has made the leaves limp and less juicy. Before your romaine plant reaches maturity, you can harvest your lettuce by removing the outer leaves, so the leaves in the center can continue to grow. When grown from seeds, romaine lettuce takes only a little less than 3 months to fully mature. Harvest the lettuce when it reaches between 6 and 8 inches tall, with leaves that begin to tighten. Harvest from different rows each time you pick lettuce to allow those that have been picked to regrow, about two weeks post-harvest for most varieties. It's better to harvest early rather than late. Visit us at www.thegraverhomestead.com Romaine lettuce is easy to grow. As time passes and the plant loses vigor, you may be better off planting a second round of seeds than waiting for new leaves. After the red leaf lettuce survived that first wilt it not only thrived but it literally flourished. It’s fine if you are eating it right away. To harvest Romaine lettuce, again use a knife and cut the entire plant off at the soil line. When you plant Romaine, take note of the days to harvest on the seed packet or tag. To extend the harvest, pick outer leaves first and allow center leaves to enlarge. Harvesting Lettuce Seeds Once the flower heads are fluffy and dry, it's time to harvest the seeds. It will provide you with the number of days between planting and harvest. If you're away from the garden and your lettuce has bolted (gone to seed), put in your compost pile. After it matures it will develop a bitter flavor. It’s not an exactly accurate timetable though. If harvested during a harsh sun, lettuce tends to wilt within hours. If you continue to water the remains of the plant, many varieties will still provide a second cutting in just a couple of weeks. Harvesting lettuce is an easy job but a bit laborious. When you plant lettuce, you want to sow a little thicker than the packet recommends. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Excited home gardeners don't have to wait that long, however, to sample the fruits of their labor. To harvest lettuce leaves, either gently pull off the ones you want to consume, or use a pair of scissors. Approximately one month before the temperatures begin to rise, stop planting lettuce because most lettuce varieties take 30-60 days until they’re ready to be harvested. As soon as the lettuce leaves reach a couple of inches in length, you can begin harvesting “baby lettuce.” To harvest individual leaves, use scissors to cut off the outer leaves near the base of the plant. Romaine lettuce comes to maturity in 80 to 85 days. That's because the leaves taste best when they're still slightly young and tender, not crunchy and woody (and potentially bitter). You may also have mature heads with smaller stems if they grew close together or did not get the maximum amount of sunlight. However, if enough time passes and you've already harvested your plant (and new leaves aren't cropping up), you may be better off planting a second round of romaine. Garden-fresh romaine lettuce ('Lactuca sativa'), with its crisp, savory taste and thick, lush leaves, is the perfect addition to any salad. Typically Romaine varieties take between 50-85 days to mature. In another 55 to 60 days, you will be able to harvest another romaine lettuce, however the leaves might be a little looser than the first one. To grow the best-tasting romaine lettuce, keep the following tips in mind: Justine Harrington is based in Austin, where she writes about current trends in health, wellness, community, gardening and sustainability. Romaine lettuce is generally ready to harvest at 70 to 75 days after planting. Every seed packet will have a ‘days to maturity’ section. Her work has been published in Forbes, USA Today, Fodor's, Marriott Traveler, SAS Airlines, the Austin American-Statesman, Austin Monthly, and dozens of other print and online publications. If you do dig up the whole plant, grasp the base of the lettuce head and firmly pull upward until the entire plant dislodges. To harvest romaine lettuce all at once, you need to cut it from the base, about 1 inch above the surface of the soil, leaving the roots intact on the ground. Romaine lettuce takes about 20-25 days from the day of planting to come for harvest. Romaine lettuce will take about 60-70 days to mature and you will know when to harvest Romaine lettuce when the center leaves grow together to form a lengthy head. But don’t let your lettuce brown up in the lights either. Plant lettuce every two weeks but keep an eye on the temperature. While this type of lettuce can seed like others, it is also the most heat tolerant and you can plant it both in the spring and fall. To protect the leaf lettuce, cover the rows with shade cloth or row covers to slow their bolting tendency in hot weather. If you harvest the entire head, the plant will stop producing. The leaves become tough and the flavor is unpalatable. Learning How to Harvest Red Leaf Lettuce. It grows well in pots and is a popular choice for container and vertical gardening. -- Position Grow Lights 4 – 6” above your plants. Romaine lettuce should be harvested when it's full size, but just before it's reached maturity. If you are growing organically, a good compost tea is totally fine. Crisphead or Iceberg lettuce form firm, compact heads of pale green, overlapping leaves. So, it’s important to learn how to look at your plants and determine if they are ready to cut. Harvesting: Harvest leaves as soon as they’re large enough to eat. To determine if a head is mature enough to harvest, there are three tests that home gardeners can do: A squeeze test in an easy way to determine if a Romaine head is mature enough to harvest. This number is derived from multiple field tests on that specific variety so it’s a great estimate. Once lettuce is past it's prime it will go bitter. Conditions in your garden may be vastly different from those in the field. Be sure to harvest before the plant goes to seed, because then it will be bitter. Container gardening tips … The soonest that you can start doing this is about 3 weeks after you have planted it (depends on the size). Harvesting a head of Romaine Lettuce grown from seed. Romaine, also known as cos, forms tall, tight bundles of thick, sweet lettuce leaves. You can tell when the heads are mature by their visual appearance: they’ll have a dark green color and look leafy and open. It’s best to harvest lettuce in the morning before leaves have been exposed to sun. There are some cues to look for when deciding if a head is ready to cut. Evaluate your region’s climate and the season you are in. We have found that with our new LED lights, plants grow much more quickly! Harvesting Romaine Lettuce. Feeding your lettuce plants. Harvest the romaine heads about 65–70 days after planting the seeds. Also, keep in mind that it's best to harvest your romaine in the morning, if possible, before the leaves have been exposed to sunlight. Check the romaine in the morning when it nears harvest time. Harvest Romaine lettuce, also called Cos lettuce, when the leaves have elongated, formed midribs, and overlapped to form a fairly tight head–about 6 to 8 inches tall. For a continuous supply of leafy lettuce throughout the growing season, try planting romaine lettuce every couple weeks. If harvested during a harsh sun, lettuce tends to wilt within hours. For leaf lettuces, consider using a cut-and-come-again method. Typically the base of a mature Romaine stem should be about 3 inches in diameter. 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. This will be a good indicator for approximately when to pick your lettuce. Crisphead lettuce requires more space than other types of lettuce and can be finicky when it comes to water. This is the most common lettuce harvesting method. Harvesting Lettuce. Farmers harvest lettuce between 2 o’clock in the morning and just before sunrise. Mature lettuce gets bitter and woody and will go bad quickly, so check your garden everyday for ready-to-harvest leaves. You can start adding tender romaine leaves to your salads and sandwiches when they are young rather than waiting for the lettuce to reach full maturity. As a general rule of thumb, lettuce that was harvested in the fall, will take about 65 days to harvest, while lettuce that was planted in the winter will take about 100 days to harvest. Provided that you harvest your lettuce plant correctly, a second harvest is often possible. Romaine lettuce is typically ready to harvest 60 days after planting. While this is great for most plants, lettuce can ‘bolt’ and can taste bitter if … If it bends and is pliable, the plant is still immature. Romaine lettuce should be harvested when it's full size, but just before it's reached maturity. It's just as important to know how to grow romaine as it is to know about the stages of romaine lettuce growth and when it's time to pick your lettuce. When to Harvest. If you have several heads, … It’s a good idea to practice successive planting with lettuce to extend your harvest. - Romaine: 10" In rows : 12-14" Space between rows: 14" Average plants per person: 10-12 : Harvest: For leaf lettuce, start picking the leaves when there is at least 5-6 mature leaves of usable size. We will also share every detail of harvesting leaf lettuce. Break it off and if it snaps with a crispiness then the plant is ready to harvest. Harvesting lettuce in a cut and come again fashion is something more people need to be doing. Another factor that determines harvest time is the temperature during the growing season. If you want the whole stalk, let it grow up to the desired height and cut if off or pull it up. It’s a job that few gardeners look forward too, but it’s one that pays in fresh crisp heads of Romaine lettuce. Feel for fullness, it shouldn’t collapse but remain solid. Everything You Need to Know About Your Lettuce Harvest 1. Pick baby leaves for salads, or wait for maturity. When romaine lettuce is mature, you can harvest the whole head at once by cutting the leafy head off from the stem at its base, or you can harvest individual leaves from the outer layer of the head as you need them, leaving the inner leaves to grow and mature. Lettuce Harvesting with Harvesting Tools and a Harvesting Rig. There are two distinct ways of harvesting romaine lettuce. After that, you will be able to harvest your lettuce about 2 … As plants grow and begin to crowd, … Harvesting Romaine can be a delicate process. When full size, Romaine lettuce is an upright, tight cluster of leaves. Reaching up to 20 inches tall, most romaine lettuces take 60 to 80 days to harvest. Romaine lettuce is a hardy plant that can tolerate light frosts and high heat, but it originated in the Mediterranean, and grows best in mild, damp climates and seasons. It’s better to harvest Romaine lettuce early rather than late. This guide on how to grow romaine lettuce includes tips on planting romaine lettuce, caring for romaine lettuce plants, and harvesting romaine lettuce. Whether you're harvesting Parris Island romaine lettuce or any other kind of romaine lettuce, it's crucial to know exactly how to harvest it, or else you risk damaging the plant. Lettuce is an edible vegetable. The extended growing season works because romaine is able to grow without bolting in the warm summers. When grown from seeds, romaine lettuce usually takes around three months (or less) to fully mature. There are a couple of ways to complete this process properly. It’s fine if you are eating it right away. Leave the inner leaves intact and the entire lettuce plant will continue to grow. Alternately, you could also dig up the whole plant or cut the plant about an inch above the soil surface, depending on how much lettuce you want. Crisphead lettuce comes to harvest in 80 to 90 days. If, however, you harvest your romaine before it's ready, you may taste woody, bitter leaves instead of tasty, tender ones. Crisphead lettuce will form a very tight head in normal to cooler climates. If you leave about an inch of plant above ground and don’t disturb the root, you will probably see the plant grow back. 2. General rule of thumb is to take off no more than 1/3 of the plant at a time. For year-round harvest, … The leaves grew rapidly and took on a beautiful neon glow (much to the envy of my gardening neighbors) And thanks to those same gardening buddies they stopped me from making a big blunder before I was about to harvest my first red leaf lettuce. You can use a general purpose fertilizer for feeding your romaine lettuce plants. People like to have it. It depends on your goal. 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