My romaine lettuce is growing and I still don't know when to pick it and how to pick it.
If you plan on harvesting it as a head, you will wait until it has grown to a good size (think roughly what you would see in the store) . A gentle squeeze will tell you if it is firm or loose. A well developed head will be firm. Sometimes in hot weather, the head will be looser, but it can still be harvested.
To harvest, simply cut the head from the base of the plant.
There are little black beetles eating holes in the leaves of my lettuce, and possibly my squash. Looks like buckshot. I would prefer a "natural" rememdy if possible. Thanks. Gwen
We planted Romaine lettuce and have been enjoying salads for the past few months. We left on vacation and when we came back, our lettuce was about 24 inches high. How do I tend these large stocks?
Large, overly ripened leaves are not really usable because they get tough and bitter. However, you may be able to simply pick off as much of the larger leaves as possible to make way for new growth. Feed the overgrown leaves to wildlife critters or add them to the compost pile.
When do you harvest lettuce, and what does it mean when a flower stem w/yellow flowers grows on your lettuce?
The time to harvest lettuce depends on the type of lettuce. Head lettuce is ready when the head becomes firm. Leaf lettuce is harvested when the plants get large enough to use. Here is an article or two that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/what-is-bolting-what-it-means-when-a-plant-bolts.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/lettuce/harvesting-leaf-lettuce.htm
It's growing up in a mixed mesculin bed. It has tall hearty stalks that start out white and turn light purple. The veins are purple as well and leaf is light green. The taste is bitter and leaf is much thicker than regular lettuce. It's even thicker than chard or beet greens. Help me.
It may be kale. It is sometimes sold in lettuce mixes, but is more like a green, like collards. It is very tasty stir fried or steamed.
How do you grow mesclun?
Mesclun is essentially a mixture of lettuces harvested as leaf lettuce. These articles will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/lettuce/growing-lettuce.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/lettuce/harvesting-leaf-lettuce.htm
I know lettuce should be picked (leaf lettuce), but do you cut it at the soil level? Do you twist the leaf away from the plant? I have planted a leaf lettuce mix from the seed tape and they are growing well, but I'm not sure when/how to start enjoying.
This article should help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/lettuce/harvesting-leaf-lettuce.htm