Bitter lettuce?

[schoolgirl]

Don't know if this is the correct place for this question, but here goes...For the first time ever we planted romaine lettuce. It looks really pretty but it is bitter. I made a low calorie ranch dressing this morning and wanted to try it out. I first thought it was the dressing tasting so bad, but its the lettuce. Do any of you know what I might could do or why it is that way...

 

[MrsLMB]

A couple things come to mind .. you soil ... how is the ph? If it is off your produce will be off too.

Also the age of the lettuce may have something to do with it.

I doubt it's been too hot ... maybe someone else with more exprience will come along and help you out.

 

[Dawgluver]

It might be the type of lettuce. Unless it's bolted (doubtful) it shouldn't be bitter yet. Does it have a flower stalk?

 

[olmoelisa]

Lettuce becomes bitter after blooming or just before it.
Pick it up earlier next time.

 

[medtran49]

Don't know how far south you are but it's already been a month too hot for lettuce where I live and it would have bolted, plus what olmoelisa wrote.

 

[sparrowgrass]

Another vote for too hot. Nothing to do about it at this point. You might try to plant your lettuce in the shade.

 

[MostlyWater]

was it very dark green? was it the outside leaves?

 

[Dawgluver]

Ah, Alabama, yep, if it's warm, it probably bolted. You can plant more when it's cooler. Or you can keep trying other more shaded places. Good luck!

 

[schoolgirl]

Thanks everyone. I think it might have been the hot weather. It looked fine and had not stayed on the stalk too long...I will try again in the fall when the temps cool off..Our first experience with lettuce so we just didn't know. :-(

 

[Mad Cook]

Don't know if this is the correct place for this question, but here goes...For the first time ever we planted romaine lettuce. It looks really pretty but it is bitter. I made a low calorie ranch dressing this morning and wanted to try it out. I first thought it was the dressing tasting so bad, but its the lettuce. Do any of you know what I might could do or why it is that way...

Romaine (or cos as they are called in the UK) are more strongly flaoured that some other varieties of lettuce and it is better eaten when it's young. The older it get more pronounced the flavour becomes. Pick it young would be my advice.

You can cook lettuce and I like that romaines for recipes involving cooking.