4 ft high Lettuce

[River Cottage]

Hi,

Planted some lettuce back in April and have been taking the out side leaves off most weekends on a round robin, so probably get picked once every 3 weeks.

Four of one specie has grown to about 4ft high ??
What have I done wrong should I cut it back down ?? they have small leaves on them though ??

Ice burgs and are fine but still small, I bought these as a mixed lot from B&Q in Feb/March.
The leaves are very full almost cirular in shape.

Any thoughts from the pros on here ??

Regards
Richard

[pdblake]

Sounds like they've bolted. I usually chuck 'em the to the chickens as a treat as they tend to taste pretty bitter once they've gone.

[Nicos]

You've done nothing wrong- the plant has decided to flower because of the hot weather- so it's grown tall and will flower very soon. Problem is that when it does that the leaves go very bitter so they need either throwing out , or leave to flower and collect the seeds.
Take a piccie- they may be a winner for the tallest lettuce competition later on in the year!!!!

[zazen999]

Hi

You've not said that it has flowered; if it hasn't then you can just carry on..but I'd get some more sown to replace it.

[River Cottage]

Thanks everyone, will let them take the nature route and replant the seeds from the flowers. Do I let the flower die first or pick them once they open ??

Shame they have grown so tall as we cant have anymore leaves now.

Regards
Richard

[Nicos]

Pick the seeds when the flower has died and dried- keep an eye on them and when they start to become loose, shake them into a paper bag ( having written what's in it) and leave them in a dry, cool place until next year. ( I'm no expert- so I'm presuming they won't grow again this season- but I could well be wrong- cos I often am!!)

If the leaves aren't bitter, then I'd carry on eating them!

[jacob]

If they're about to flower, then they've finished.

Otherwise, some 'cut and come again' variates will grow quite tall (not sure about 4 ft though) and will appreciate having the tops lopped off.

[River Cottage]

Jacob,

Hi, are you saying cut them back down to 6/10 inchs high and wait ?

[zazen999]

River - have they actually flowered yet?

[River Cottage]

No flowers yet, just very high.

[jacob]

Hi, are you saying cut them back down to 6/10 inchs high and wait ?

Yep! No promises and they could be just about to flower, but cut and come again variates do grow long thick stems with diminishing returns from the leaves. Though 4ft is quite spectacular!

[zazen999]

If they haven't flowered, and they don't taste bitter, I'd take out the centre and keep harvesting. Look up charles dowding - he harvests his salads for ages just by taking the outer leaves off....

[blackie57]

beresford

mine lettuce at the moment is 5ft 6"