Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: KT on June 24, 2009, 20:26
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Ok silly question,
I've planted some crisphead type lettuce "little gem". Webs wonder, and ice queen.
when do i know if they are ready?
I've never really seen a lettuce growing, and i only buy iceburg type in the shops all stripped down in plastic wrappers :tongue2: some of them seem to have a semi solid heart but im not sure what to look for when they are ready?
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Have a feel and when they feel 'hearted' like the ones you buy in the shops, then cut one :) Strip of the manky outside leaves and you should have got it right, if not then leave the next one a bit longer......it's all trial and error..and for me thats quite a bit of the latter :blush:
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I've been eating my butterhead early due to planting too much lettuce :lol: Still tastes great ;)
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Here's what ww's look like when ready.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/srebmob/aa41bfe6.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/srebmob/bddf50bc.jpg)
Then when you remove the 'Manky' leaves.... Tonight's tea ;) :D
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/srebmob/42862270.jpg)
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Oh wow thanks ... im so happy i think some of mine are ready then ...
Quick comparison
(http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5119/img0872.jpg)
How long will they last in this state if i leave them in the ground? i have planted in succession but i have quite a few in each planting?
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^ Looks GREAT! Bombers, hope my stuff turns out as nice.
As an aside, I've some lettuce (think they're a Cos type) that are nearly ready to pull.
I've grown them without netting and don't have so much as a slug bight out of them, no bird probs or anything. Most of my other stuff has holes in the leaves so I'm just hoping there isn't something wrong with them.. :unsure:
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Oh wow thanks ... im so happy i think some of mine are ready then ...
Quick comparison
[img=http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5119/img0872.jpg] (http://img523.imageshack.us/i/img0872.jpg/)
How long will they last in this state if i leave them in the ground? i have planted in succession but i have quite a few in each planting?
Ohh well done KT. Yours looks ready too. ;)
I recon we use 2-3 lettuces a week. They will run to seed quite quick in this warm weather. I Keep sowing, and any extras go to the oldies.MIL called round tonight and recieved a punnet of strawbs, half a dozen radish, a lettuce and a couple of pounds of Pentland jav's.. She was well happy. ;) 8)
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Oh wow thanks ... im so happy i think some of mine are ready then ...
Quick comparison
[img=http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/5119/img0872.jpg] (http://img523.imageshack.us/i/img0872.jpg/)
How long will they last in this state if i leave them in the ground? i have planted in succession but i have quite a few in each planting?
Ohh well done KT. Yours looks ready too. ;)
I recon we use 2-3 lettuces a week. They will run to seed quite quick in this warm weather. I Keep sowing, and any extras go to the oldies.MIL called round tonight and recieved a punnet of strawbs, half a dozen radish, a lettuce and a couple of pounds of Pentland jav's.. She was well happy. ;) 8)
yay very happy.... i only use about 1 lettuce a week, which is a shame because i think i've planted about 10 per week worth haha im going to have to fine people to palm them off on :blush:
I'e not had much luck with the strawberry's i netted them all a few weeks ago because i thought the birds where getting them, only to discover the culprit was a mischivous 7year old. :ohmy: little monkey.
Just need my peppers, toms and cuc's to catch up them i'll have a salad... :tongue2:
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^ Looks GREAT! Bombers, hope my stuff turns out as nice.
As an aside, I've some lettuce (think they're a Cos type) that are nearly ready to pull.
I've grown them without netting and don't have so much as a slug bight out of them, no bird probs or anything. Most of my other stuff has holes in the leaves so I'm just hoping there isn't something wrong with them.. :unsure:
I don't cover the lettuces. :nowink: I've read quite a few people on here are suffering with sparrows and the usual suspects (slugs 'n snails). My lettuces are grown in beds next to a very high hawthorn hedge, with shade from 3pm onwards.
We have a family of sparrows, and blackbirds nesting there, and have no problems at all. In fact, I think they've 'hoovered' up all the bugs too! 8) :)
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"How long will they last in this state if i leave them in the ground? i have planted in succession but i have quite a few in each planting?"
My crop records suggest that first-to-last harvest of "usable" lettuce is between 2 and 3 weeks. Yours, being nice and table-ready, are already past what I would consider was a "First harvest" specimen :)
Eat up, convert to soup and freeze, or give away whilst in their prime I'm afraid