Lettuce Question

Hi Everyone,

I have grown approx 6-8 different varieties of lettuce over the last 5 years and this year I have three different ones in the garden, not sure of the varieties just cause I forget but one is red leaf, one is green leaf and one similar to a buttercrunch head.

Anyway, no matter what type we grow it is always bitter tasting. My guess is that something about our soil is making it that way?

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks,
Susan

Lettuce gets bitter in hot weather. When are you picking yours?

Havn't started picking yet, not quite enough to make a decent size salad. Maybe I started it too late? We have been pretty warm here already.

There are some varieties that stand better in the heat.

Lettuce is bitter if grown on the dry side it needs lost of water to be sweet.

In NC you should probably be planting your lettuce in late February. It won't hurt the seed or the seedlings to live through a frost or two. I'm in south Missouri (6b) and I planted mine the 15th of March. Just cut a mess for a salad tonight. It will bolt and get bitter by mid-June, probably. I've got some buttercrunch head that I am going to shade, if I can. Lettuce is one of the crops that does exceptionally well as a fall planting, too.

We cut it young (baby lettuce & spinach) especially in the heat. To keep is that way, we seed it thick every two weeks and water is everyday until it's established. Once it starts to bolt, we feed it to the chickens and go to a new row.

Lettuce under east leaning shade cloth (morning sun / mid-day & afternoon shade)