how to harvest mini romaine lettuce

This will ensure that the lettuce can grow again for a second harvest, roughly 55-60 days after the first one. Once the lettuce is uprooted, pat the dirt back in place so there isn’t a hole left in the garden patch. Bibb types such as Buttercrunch form a loose head; you can harvest anytime, but for the classic Bibb rosette, wait until the lettuce is nearly full … Unlike iceberg lettuce, the romaine heads will not be densely closed in upon themselves when mature. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Regrow lettuce for fun, for topping a sandwich and to become more acquainted with the food you eat. If a fall crop is desired, begin in late summer. An immature romaine head is loose and compresses easily, while an overly ripe head feels hard to the touch. References If you aren't interested in growing a second crop, you can dig up the entire lettuce plant. You can also dig around in the soil a bit to remove any leftover roots that may be stuck in the soil. If you'd rather harvest the entire lettuce head at once, simply grasp the base of the lettuce head and pull upward until the roots dislodge from the ground. Transplant iceberg, romaine, and butterhead lettuce 10–12" apart in rows 15–18" apart, other types 8–10" apart in rows 12–18", and mini heads as close as 6" in a grid. Romaine lettuce is a healthy, popular variety of head lettuce, which is relatively easy to grow in a home garden or planter. Easy to grow; Easy to harvest; Easy to process; Easy to enjoy! This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. 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. Loose leaf lettuce harvest can begin anytime the leaves have formed but prior to the formation of a seed stalk. Her experience comes from teaching, tutoring and managing educational after school programs. Check the romaine in the morning when it nears harvest time. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Depending on the variety, lettuce germinates in temperatures between 40 to 85 degrees F. If you plant lettuce in successive plantings, with 10 to 14 days in between, you’ll have an extended harvest. How do you cut romaine lettuce from the garden? Harvesting first thing in the morning is ideal, because the lettuce is more crisp in the morning than it is later in the day. "I planted Romaine lettuce for the first time and was unsure when to harvest it. This variety was popularized as a gourmet heirloom treat in England. You can begin planting leaf, romaine and butterhead lettuce as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. A solid rib means the romaine is mature, but milky indicates a tougher. Disinfect you knife before and after you harvest the lettuce. Get advice from an expert. The ribs of romaine turn a milky color if the lettuce is left on the plant too long. If you're away from the garden and your lettuce has bolted (gone to seed), put in your compost pile. Harvesting a large crisp head of lettuce from the garden is a wonderful thing, but for faster yields and longer harvests, a cut and come again lettuce bed can put salad on your plate all season long. ", Unlock this expert answer by supporting wikiHow, http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/romaine.htm, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysGbSGbPOFA&feature=youtu.be&t=33s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysGbSGbPOFA&feature=youtu.be&t=56s, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Lettuce is generally ready to harvest about 80 days after planting with seeds and about 60 days after using seedlings. Pulling up the full romaine head will bring the roots out of the ground as well. Why Does Cauliflower Turn Purple & Have Fuzz on It? Loose-Leaf Lettuce. Approved. Romaine can be harvested in 1 of 2 ways: you can harvest the entire head of lettuce at once, whether by pulling up the head, roots and all, or by cutting off the head at the base. Put this stem in a shallow dish filled with about 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) of water. Having an individual high pressure water stream for every seed line allows you to independently adjust cut height … Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Non-hearting types of lettuce can be harvested as soon as they have a few large leaves. Lettuce is fast and easy to grow, but if you want a consistent harvest all season long, there are a few important things to know. Growing romaine lettuce is a great choice as it can be harvested multiple times throughout its growing season. To learn how to harvest the individual lettuce leaves, read on! Planting Romaine Lettuce from a Seed Evaluate your region’s climate and the season you are in. In conclusion, don’t expect a full head of romaine lettuce to fill your salad bowl. From green to bronze-red to dark-red, this combination is pleasing to the eye, and the taste buds, and it's also 100% organic. This trio of compact Romaine/Cos-type lettuce varieties make a tempting presentation when marketed together as a 3-pack. Check the package for the specific variety you chose to get an estimate for the maturity date. If harvesting frosted or frozen lettuce, allow leaves to thaw out before picking. Depending how long your season is before the first frost, extend the life of that baby as long as you can! You can tell when the heads are mature by their visual appearance: they’ll have a dark green color and look leafy and open. This article helped and I also, "I planted Romaine lettuce from seed at an Urban Organic Garden workshop in Ensenada. Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grows as an upright head with loosely bunched leaves that cup inward. In this case, 99% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Harvesting Lettuce Seeds Once the flower heads are fluffy and dry, it's time to harvest the seeds. To extend the harvest, pick outer leaves first and allow center leaves to enlarge. For leaf lettuces, consider using a cut-and-come-again method. Enjoy the process! Lettuce thrives in cold weather and can be sown directly into the garden, starting in early spring. If you lose track of time and forget to harvest in the morning, it’s best just to wait until the next morning and harvest then. Eazyleaf. Flavor:  Depending on the mix, can be either fresh and mild, or potent and spicy Cut the romaine heads off just above the soil line and below the lower leaves, using a sharp, clean knife. Pinch off outer leaves of the romaine plants at any time during growth for baby lettuce leaves. How and When to Harvest Regrown Lettuce? You can measure the width of the plants base stem. % of people told us that this article helped them. Dry soil must be watered to ensure coolness and moisture, and for uniform germination. You can serve the lettuce immediately in a garden salad, or keep the leaves for up to 10 days in an airtight bag in your fridge. However, these leaves will not form another “head” shape, and will be looser and less numerous than the lettuce leaves on the initial romaine head. Calculate the estimated maturity date, which is typically about 55 to 65 days for romaine lettuce. Romaine (Cos) Lettuce varieties. Start spring crops indoors. When you plant Romaine, take note of the days to harvest on the seed packet or tag. As a group it is the most forgiving of poor soil, is generally more heat-tolerant, and contains the largest diversity of attractive heirlooms. Look for firm heads that stand tall and don’t collapse under a slight squeeze. To prevent bolting of springtime crops, start romaine indoors. learned that I can get 2 harvests. Romaine needs 70 to 75 days to mature. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Generally about 65 days after planting is when to harvest lettuce planted in the fall, while harvesting heads of lettuce from a winter planted crop will take about 100 days. There are a couple of ways to complete this process properly. Growing conditions affect the maturity rate, so don't rely only on the calendar to tell you when to harvest. Plant it in full sun or partial shade, 6 to 10 inches apart. Ready to harvest in 21 to 40 days. Be careful not to cut through any rocks or soil, or you’ll end up dulling the blades of your shears. Based in the Midwest, Shelley Frost has been writing parenting and education articles since 2007. Calculate the estimated maturity date, which is typically about 55 to 65 days for romaine lettuce. This allows you to harvest the lettuces leaves over a longer period of time without sacrificing the growth of the plant. Cut the entire plant at the base, leaving a short stub to resprout. Squeeze the heads to check. Some of the lettuces worth planting at this time of year are the leafy types which … Xiomara is a flexible Mini-Cos variety for year round season with high performance, a clean upright base, and good behavior in a Hydroponic system. In about 10-12 days, the lettuce will be fully grown.”. How to Harvest Leaf Lettuce To grow lettuce with the “cut and come again method,” it is best to start with loose leaf varieties like mesclun in a variety of colors, flavors and textures. Be sure to sanitize any cutting tools you use both before and after you harvest your lettuce. Feeling devastated from a breakup? DIRECT SEEDING for BABY LEAF: Seeds can germinate well in soils as low as 40°F (4°C) but often poorly above 75°F (24°C). This will be a good indicator for approximately when to pick your lettuce. For an even earlier harvest, sow indoors; the seedlings don't mind transplanting. Ramsay Highlander's newest product launch, the Mechanical Harvester. This guide on how to grow romaine lettuce includes tips on planting romaine lettuce, caring for romaine lettuce plants, and harvesting romaine lettuce. This article has been viewed 90,659 times. Cutting the romaine allows the plant to possibly grow additional lettuce. If you miss the maturity signs, your lettuce crop can quickly become overripe. Everything you need, to ensure you enjoy your lettuce...made Eazy! Romaine lettuce is typically ready to harvest 60 days after planting. Many gardeners have had success growing lettuce throughout the summer by planting it in a shaded spot in the garden. By using our site, you agree to our. Iceberg (crisphead) varieties take longer and should be harvested as soon as a head develops but before outer leaves turn brown. With proper harvesting practices, you can enjoy fresh romaine lettuce right from the garden. Pinch off outer leaves of the romaine plants at any time during growth for baby lettuce leaves. Imagine how convenient it would be to harvest this gorgeous bronze romaine lettuce right outside your kitchen window. University of California: Lettuce, Romaine: Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality. My system has 12 pipes and they are 40 ft long respectively. Harvest the romaine heads about 65–70 days after planting the seeds. Alternately, you can harvest the outer leaves of the head and let the inner leaves continue to grow and mature. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a reading endorsement. Among the older seed varieties, crisphead lettuces in the romaine or cos group tend to be the slowest to bolt, while looseleaf lettuce tends to be the quickest. Utilizing Ramsay’s patented Water Jet cutting method this harvester increases yield and product shelf life while reducing labor. Cut the plant off at soil level with a sharp knife. When it’s ready, use a sharp pair of garden scissors to cut off the head of lettuce just above the base, or about 1 inch above the soil. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Harvest-Romaine-Lettuce-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Harvest-Romaine-Lettuce-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Harvest-Romaine-Lettuce-Step-1.jpg\/aid10069574-v4-728px-Harvest-Romaine-Lettuce-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"