How do you harvest lettuce and lettuce correctly? When is the right time to harvest cut and pick lettuce? We'll answer your questions.

Cut and pick lettuce can be harvested again and again

Cut and Pick Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) provides fresh, crisp lettuce leaves throughout the growing season. They are not only suitable for growing in the garden - cut lettuce can also be easily cultivated in pots on the balcony or terrace. If you have the right harvesting technique, you have a seemingly endless supply of home-grown lettuce. In this article, we will tell you everything about the right time to harvest, the best way to harvest lettuce for cutting and picking, and tips for storing it properly.

What is cut and pick lettuce?

Cut and pick lettuce do not belong to a specific type of lettuce, but a wide variety of lettuce forms can be cultivated as pick or cut lettuce. Lollo lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa), batavia lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. ) are popular, for example. capitata) or oak leaf lettuce (Lactus sativa var. crispa). But chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) or spinach (Spinacia oleracea) are also used as a cut - and pick-lettuce used. The decisive factor here is how the lettuce is harvested: With cut and pick-lettuce, you don't harvest the whole lettuce, but only individual leaves. So you can only harvest as much lettuce as you need. Nothing goes bad and you always have fresh salad in the house. Another advantage is that cut and picked lettuce keeps growing back and produces new lettuce leaves for you over several weeks. However, this only works if you proceed correctly with the harvest. If you cut or pick the lettuce incorrectly, you won't have a harvest for weeks.

The right time to harvest cut and pick lettuce

You can harvest the first leaves of your pick or cut lettuce just six to seven weeks after sowing. The leaves should only be big enough. The rule of thumb is: Are the leaves overTen to twelve inches long, they can be harvested. If you wish, you can harvest your cut and pick lettuce on a daily basis. Harvest as needed and only as much as you can process directly. Harvesting right before consumption is best, because then the lettuce is uniquely fresh and crunchy. If you harvest correctly, your pick or cut lettuce will give you delicious, constantly growing lettuce leaves for four to six weeks.

When the leaves are 10-12 cm long they are ready to be harvested

Expert tip: When the lettuce starts to shoot, i.e. inflorescences form, the leaves become very bitter and no longer edible. If this happens to you, it is advisable to cut off the entire lettuce plant. We give you tips on how to prevent lettuce from shooting.

When is the right time to harvest lettuce or cut lettuce?

  • 6 - 7 weeks after sowing
  • When the first leaves are 10 - 12 cm long
  • Harvest as needed
  • If possible, harvest directly before consumption
  • Harvest time can take 4 - 6 weeks

How to harvest lettuce

As the name suggests, lettuce is not cut, but picked by hand. To do this, select the outermost and largest leaves of your lettuce plants and always harvest from the outside inwards of the plant. You can now easily pick off the selected leaves by hand just above the ground. It is important that the heart of lettuce remains undamaged in the middle and is left standing. In this way, the leaves continue to grow and you can gradually harvest the lettuce again.

How is lettuce harvested?

  • Harvest the largest outer leaves
  • Harvest from the outside in
  • Pick off the leaves by hand
  • Leave heart of lettuce

How to harvest lettuce

Not only individual leaves are cut off the lettuce, but all the lettuce leaves above the small heart leaves. Use a knife that is as sharp and clean as possible. There are tiny heart leaves in the center of the plant - these must remain undamaged and left where they are, because they form new lettuce leaves. Therefore, cut off the entire lettuce plant above the heart leaves. The cut lettuce will then sprout again and can be harvested again up to three times.

AtCut lettuce should be harvested with a sharp knife

How is lettuce harvested?

  • Leaf lettuce is harvested whole
  • Use a sharp and clean knife
  • Cut off the entire plant above the small heart leaves
  • The lettuce then sprout again
  • Can be harvested up to three times

How to store cut and pick lettuce

The good thing about cut and pick lettuce is that it can always be harvested fresh. The disadvantage, however, is that it is actually not storable. You should therefore always use your pick or cut lettuce as fresh as possible and immediately after harvesting. Only ever harvest as many lettuce leaves as you can use. Then you won't even get into the situation of having to store it. If this still cannot be avoided, it is best to wrap the lettuce or cut lettuce in a damp tea towel and store it in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. This way the salad can be kept fresh until the next day. But then you should use it at the latest.

How to store lettuce?

  • Process as fresh as possible
  • Harvest only as much as you consume
  • Wrap in a damp kitchen towel to store
  • Keep in the fridge crisper

Tip: Soaking wilted lettuce leaves in cool water for 15 minutes will make them crisp again.

You can find out more about the correct harvesting of lettuce here.

Category:

Vegetables