Lettuce

[Bob Lawrence]

Hi, this is my first year for growing my own vegetables having moved some shrubs to another part of the garden. It is only a small area, maybe 8' x 6' but it is the only place which is suitable and is in just the right position for sun. I have planted broad beans, peas, beetroot, Brussels and Iceburg lettuce; it is the lettuce which I am having problems with.
How can I prevent it from becoming slimy? There is quite a good heart but the leaves are very slimy and goes well into it, because of this I am reluctant to eat them. I would like them to be as good a quality as I would buy in the shops. Also is it OK to use ordinary slug pellets to control them? If not what is?
Thanks Bob

[malcolmx]

slimy lettuce is because they are too old they need to be harvested asap these have been left too long centers will start to split soon to save as much as poss cut out hearts and strip back leaves to good ones they are ok to eat
sow plugs next time and sow 4 plugs every 5 days sow now and you should get another crop try tom thumb or a butter head variety as that can be eaten without hearts

[Cabbagelover]

Yes it is when the lettuce are old and I gave up growing iceberg lettuce as they took so long to heart up properly. Now I ony grow butterheads which are crunchy to eat and nothing like the limp lettuces that you get in the shops. I sow half a dozen at a time so they are always fresh.

[richardwil]

Why not just grow loose leaf lettuce and things like lollo rosso and mixed salad leaves. You could also grow things like rocket, corn salad and land cress to go with it. It all makes a tasty salad when added together.

I do this and have fresh salads for much of the year except for the winter.

[Bob Lawrence]

Thanks for the repies, will lift them sooner now. I have been thinking of planting little jems after reading some other threads.

[tezmac]

Originally Posted by richardwil

Why not just grow loose leaf lettuce and things like lollo rosso and mixed salad leaves. You could also grow things like rocket, corn salad and land cress to go with it. It all makes a tasty salad when added together.

I do this and have fresh salads for much of the year except for the winter.

I'm with you lollo rosso and salad leaves are easy to grow and when you have cut them they grow again ......magic