[johnfh]

This may seem like heresy to many but I do like the crispness and taste of the better quality supermarket iceberg lettuce.  I have tried various seeds and plants but the finished product is always greener, stronger and limper than the supermarket namesake.  Has anyone managed to produce these at home or do we need special seeds or conditions which cannot be replicated in the home situation?  It would be very interesting to hear from anyone who has managed this.

[Ivor Backache]

I grow the 'Iceberg' lettuce and I suspect the answer may be in the packageing. I don't wrap my lettuce in cellophane and yes it does go limp very quickly. I cut a lettuce yesterday and today it was limp and unappetising but there was nothing wrong with it. Normally I pick off the outside leaves and leave the plant intact. That way the freshness in maintained.

[sclarke624]

I grow mini green iceberg.  Its supposed to be tennis ball sized but mine are always slightly bigger than that.  Its crunchy, juicy, moslty light coloured leaves below the surface of the lettuce, just like the pic on this link, and not at all bitter, I think it has a nice delicate taste.  Easy to grow, I start mine indoors and transfer when they are about an inch tall depending on time of year.  More than enough for one person, its quite deceiving how much lettuce is there once you start cutting it.  For a normal size salad probably enough for three people.  
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/131/1.html

I think this may be exclusive to T&M.

P.S Ivorbackache a platic box with lid will keep the lettuce crisp. One of those lock and load boxes would be good.

[Jonajo]

ive always found that putting them into a plastic bag - not fully sealed - in the fridge works, but not put in coldest part of fridge. But the leaves need to be washed first to freshen them up - makes a huge difference - then put in the bag/fridge.

I picked a load of the mixed salad leaves plus a whole iceberg (including the root which I trimmed) on Monday and did the above. On Friday they were still crisp enough and tasty. Not that I have done many lettuces this year as opt mainly for the mixed salad but I love the look of lettuces growing and love to give them away too to friends.

[iggyboy]

Iceberg 2, Lobjoits and Webbs Wonderful are all crispy fantastic tasting lettuces. I cut them,take 'em home and wrap the in clingfilm until needed. The stay crisp for me and the wife wont buy any other lettuce from shops,she say the three varieties I have mentioned have a lovely nutty taste and stay crisp much longer than shop bought ones!

[Ice]

Like Sheila I also grow mini green icebergs.  Last year they were fantastic, crisp, tasty and perfect for one large or two smaller helpings so you don't need to pick a large one and have it sit in the refrigerator.

[hamstergbert]

Webbs Wonderful for me (seed packet bought 2007 and still high germination rate), this year mostly in the flower buckets outside the kitchen door and they have been hearting up beautifully.  When ready I ease the root out as best I can (without taking all the compost) and after discarding the mankier leaves down to the heart sit the whole thing in big yoghurt pot of water. Cutting down at a slight angle gets half the heart while leaving the stem intact and the other half certainly stays fresh in the pot for a day or so to slip into a lunchtime sandwich or late night graze.  Meantime a top up of the pot, little bit BFB to refresh it and straight in with the next 2" plantlet.

I have to admit that this year the 'proper' iceberg types have not actually been that popular in our house due to being up to my hocks in mixed salad leaves, lollo, red fire, little gems, frisbs, buttercrunch, baby spinach etc etc.    Ears starting to lengthen and beginning to grow a scut!

[Siouxfly]

If you wash and shred the lettuce then it will keep crispy for days in an airtight storage box in the fridge. If using a metal knife make sure you wash the lettuce after shredding.

[sclarke624]

Ears starting to lengthen and beginning to grow a scut!

ohhh! whatever that is it sounds painful and slightly weird LOL    :blink:

[mumofstig]

He's turning into a rabbit 

[johnfh]

Many thanks for your interesting replies.  Have ordered the T&M seeds online.  Nothing wrong with rabbits - in a stew!

[mr Isaccs]

This year I've grown a variety called saladin and although I've yet to try the outdoor ones  the ones in the greenhouse have hearted up really well, have an excellent flavour and keep for up to five days in the fridge.
   The webbs wonder that I grew last year are not a patch on this years variety, I'll definately grow them again next year

[lacewing]

I've tried lots of different types of lettuce, but webbs wonderful is always top of my list. It keeps crisp, has very good flavour and stands out from all the others by a mile.