Did you know that you can harvest iceberg lettuce multiple times in your own garden? Read here how this stroke of gardening genius works. These tips explain how to harvest iceberg lettuce continuously from spring to fall.
Can you harvest iceberg lettuce multiple times?
If you stagger sowing and planting, iceberg lettuce can be harvested several times. Sowing and planting time is from mid-February to early August. Harvested from May to October. Iceberg lettuce is ready to harvest eight to twelve weeks after sowing.
When is iceberg lettuce ready to harvest?
Iceberg lettuce is ready for harvest approximately12 weeksafter sowing. The new iceberg lettuce variety Batavia lettuce is ready for harvest after about8 weeks. You can recognize a ready-to-harvest iceberg lettuce by a fully formed, light green head of lettuce surrounded by dark green, outwardly curved leaves.
How is iceberg lettuce harvested correctly?
Iceberg lettuce is harvested aswhole head. To ensure a long shelf life, it is advantageous if you coordinate your lettuce harvest with the best time of day and the local weather. This is how iceberg lettuce is harvested correctly:
- Best time is in the afternoon.
- Do not harvest iceberg lettuce in rainy weather because moisture can cause brown spots and rot.
- Cut the head of lettuce with a sharp knife just above the ground.
- Pick outer, dirty or damaged leaves.
- Store iceberg lettuce in a plastic bag or kitchen towel until ready to eat.
How often can you harvest iceberg lettuce?
You canharvest several timesif you sow and plantstagger the timeFor the first harvest, young plants are grown under glass in February and planted in the bed in May. In March, the seeds are sown in the greenhouse for a further harvest after eight to twelve weeks. From mid-May to early August it is warm enough outside for direct sowing into the bed. At this time you can also buy ready-made lettuce plants cheaply and plant them out for a continuous harvest until October.
Tip
Sowing iceberg lettuce correctly
The time window for direct sowing iceberg lettuce opens in mid-May. To sow, create seed grooves 0.5 to 1 cm deep in the bed, spaced 30 cm apart. Cover the light germinators thinly with soil and water. In the open field, the seeds germinate within 7 to 14 days. The strongest seedlings are separated at a distance of 30 cm.
