Higher Ground Garden Blog

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Managing bitter lettuce

Here are some ideas about bitter lettuce and how to better manage it during growing, harvesting, and eating.  These different ideas are from the two linked articles below.

For growing we're trying straw mulch and limited shade cloth.  For harvesting we're trying water cooling.  At home the soaking seems to help.

Growing

- Mulch to keep soil cool
- Use high, vented, 30% shade cloth (don't trap heat with full white row covers)
- Ideally plant in Spring and Fall
- Water regularly; organic matter helps retain moisture
- Not too much nutrition, but the right amount to grow fast
- Interplant with taller crops
- Try different varieties

Harvesting

- Immerse in water immediately after picking
- Pick in the morning when plants are less stressed
- Pick new leaves

Eating

- Let it soak in filtered or chlorine-evaporated water for an hour after harvest
- Soak your lettuce for 5-10 minutes in a small amount of baking soda, rinse, repeat, drain and use
- Refrigerate for 1-2 days before using
- Use it as a lightly cooked green (as done with escarole)


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