leathery lettuce

[laura g]

my greenhouse toms are doing very well. as are my cucumbers and leafy mix stuff. spring onions look pathetic - dont believe that the guy at the nurseries advice that i could keep them in the pot i bought them could have been right.

however its the little gem lettuces that are worrying me.

I planted out 6 at once and they've grown really well. getting on for the size of a dinner plate. they're not tightly packed though leaf-wise- a bit 'blowsy'. however i've noticed that the leaves, specially the outer ones are going much darker and certainly more 'leathery' in feel. they're also getting chewed by something.

Have i missed the boat? should I have picked and used by now? or should I hang on because the middle heart bit WILL come through??

or...have i baked them in the hot house? reading the threads re whitewashing has had me prick my ears up. Should I be doing this? My greenhouse has a floor to ceiling complete cover of double layer bubblewrap. Is that good or bad? should I be taking it off?

[TPeers]

I would think that the bubble wrap should come off, although that might have pros and cons.

It will be cutting down the available light - but you won't need to paint shade.

It will be trapping humidity - might be good in some ways, less water loss, better fruit set, but lettuce suffer from mold quite badly and high humidity is the perfect breeding ground.

The greenhouse could over heat - the bubble wrap is an insulator, that's why it is used over winter so much. On the other hand, it may also be keeping the temperature more even.

In other words - haven't a clue!

[mrskp]

My Little Gems which are outside in the salad bed under fleece alongside the cut and come again salad leaves, are far out performing the latter taste wise. I suppose I am cutting the LGs on the same basis, if I see a few usable leaves, I have them off !

The cut and come agains really are a bit bitter, but maybe that's just the variety. The OH hasn't had the heart to comment yet, he dare not !

[Cutecumber]

I find lettuce quite tricky - my interpretation of advice is that it should be grown quickly, and kept relatively cool. A rich, moist growing medium is needed and no check in growth - I think this is the key. As they age, lettuce tend to get tougher and more bitter, and some varieties are worse than others.

I've had tough and bitter CCA this spring, too (I think they must have been under-fed and just took too long to grow) but a few of my individually planted lettuce are still soft and luscious, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

The good thing is that you can keep sowing little and often and take whatever you like from the result - the odd leaf to a whole hearted lettuce.

[moggssue]

A rich growing medium - does that mean a couple of inches of topsoil over the soil improver won't give them enough feed? I didnt think lettuce needed that much so didnt worry that the roots won't get below the topsoil, but now I'm not so sure!? Good luck with your LGems Laura, I can't answer your question but I hope you enjoy eating them anyway!

[TPeers]

Chuck a handful of growmore or some such around the plants and water it in, should give them the extra boost. Don't worry if you can't though, the leaves won't be as soft as supermarket varieties but they will have more flavour!

[Paulottie]

I would think that the bubble wrap should come off, although that might have pros and cons.

In other words - haven't a clue!

RU feeling a bit indecisive today Terry?

I leave my bubble wrap on one (got two) house all year round. Insulation works in both directions. I also use auto-vents (a joy) so the temp constant- things change so fast at this time of year. light levels seem perfect (more of a winter problem.) Condensation will form on coolest side of any thermal barrier but i have not noticed higher humidity in that house.

Thats my reasoning....for the moment, but all advice subject to change!

Lettuce prefer cooler conditions (>25 c)and don't need high light levels. my advice is always to keep picking-even a bit early- and sowing more- they are nice young and once they start to bolt they are useless. we sow in modules each 10 days and catch crop them everywhere.

[TPeers]

RU feeling a bit indecisive today Terry?

No of course not... I don't think..

All my lettuce (18 plants) have been scoffed by the slugs and snails - I'll have to put them in hanging baskets - won't stop the snails but might slow the slugs down!