How To Pick Garden Lettuce
Lettuce varieties that lend themselves well to the cut and come again harvest method include merlot loose leaf lettuce.
How to pick garden lettuce. This cool season crop grows in most areas as an. This method can be used three weeks before your average frost date if planting in winter. Seeds often sprout in only two to eight days if soil temperatures are between 55 and 75 f.
Gorgeous in the garden and in your bowl merlot has the added benefit of. Lettuce grows best when soil temperatures are cool. Also you can plant each week or every other week to get a continuous revolving leaf lettuce harvest.
Harvesting loose leaf lettuce is different from harvesting a head of lettuce as you can pick loose leaves as it grows rather than waiting for a head or heart to form. If you don t want to cut the whole plant at once then snip or break away older leaves whatever size from the outside allowing younger leaves at the center called the central bud to continue growing for later use. How to harvest lettuce.
Seeds can be started indoors and planted into the garden in three weeks. Pick individual leaves from leaf lettuce varieties when the outermost leaves grow 4 to 8 inches long or cut back the entire leaf lettuce plant to a 3 inch height when it grows to 6 to 8 inches tall. When your outer leaves reach around four inches in length you can either use a pair of shears to snip or your fingers to snap off about an inch above the crown of the loose.
Harvest whole heads or individual leaves with a sharp knife or garden pruner. How to pick loose leaf lettuce.