Are you frustrated that your lettuce isn’t making a nice head but is growing tall and skinny? Most likely the problem lie in getting the timing wrong or misunderstanding what romaine lettuce need. The truth: Romaine lettuce doesn’t do well with impatient people who want fast results right now. It has its own set of circumstances and will respond (or not) depending on whether you get heat right, at the right time. It is also sensitive to heat.
In the case of romaine, or romaine lettuce, soil temperature affects germination and success. For romaine, you want a soil temperature of around sixty to seventy degrees before sowing the seed. That means many gardeners plants too soon. Romaine seeds will rot in cool damp soil. To get them going, they require initial warmth, but then they desire cooler conditions so the plants does not stretch out.
How to Grow Romaine Lettuce
When the nights is still warm after the seeds have emerged, the plants stretches out. And this causes loose leaves (not tight heads). The warmth that helps get seed up is the same warmth that can destroys the crop later.
When the first true leaves emerge (two to three weeks later), things start looking a little different here, as in: plant spacing matter. The thing with romaine: It starts out growing up and then spreads out. When plants are crowded together, they fight for air, creating more chance of rot and even mildew. You want room for each one to spread out so they don’t compete for light.
If they’re crowded, they stretch up to find it sooner rather than later; this cause the plants to bolt faster. Eight or 12 inches between plant lets the insides of the plants fill out and create the tight, pale-green cylinder you want.
Just as when you plant on schedule, choosing the right kind of thing is key. Not all kinds stands up to heat. For instance, I love heirloom types such as Parris Island Cos that has great flavor in cool springtime air, but go and get all odd and bolt in May if things heat up. In hot spring areas, select a heat-set variety. They’re hybrids, specially selected to stand heat without bolting early. It pays to match your garden zone to the right variety; failure is otherwise certain. Even with careful tending, a wrong variety won’t yield a heavy head. You should of chose better if it gets hot.
The secret ingredient is consistent watering, which makes for a good crop. Because romaine lettuce are very watery inside, the crunchiness of the ribs comes from that high water content. Stressed plants (such as those getting uneven water) will shows off their stress with either bitterness or tipburn. To keep tissues moist, give about an inch of water weekly.
Harvest the lettuces when the head is firm, usually at 55 to 85 days. Don’t wait till they show signs of beginning a flower stalk: The texture becomes woody, and the flavor turns sour. Cut right at soil line and chill promptly.
Repeat this regimen of cool starts, consistent moisture, and on-time harvesting and enjoy your supply of fresh, crispy salad greens. It makes for the most luxurios salad ever you’ll recieve.