Crisphead , also known as 'Iceberg', is the lettuce most widely available as a fresh market type. If lettuce seedlings are exposed to 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures for several days in a row, they will start forming flower buds, although the flower stalk won't shoot up until the weather warms. Other names: Head lettuce, iceberg lettuce Uses: Shredded in salads, on sandwiches, and garnished in snacks 2. It has curved, overlapping leaves forming crispy, round heads. Spring-sown crops mature as hot weather arrives. • Head lettuce does not form head. In the south we plant lettuce in the fall. Most head lettuce varieties will bolt when it warms up and not form a head anyway. • Romaine lettuce does not form heart. Make sure to harvest when the heads are big and tightly packed. Plants that feel threatened by harsh temperatures will often go to seed. Lettuce is generally a pretty easy-going crop and they’ll do this on their own without intervention from us. Iceberg lettuce is often referred as a ‘useless’ vegetable and there is also a joke stating that this vegetable will provide as much nutrients as a cardboard. Iceberg lettuce is great in salads, wraps, and a variety of other recipes. Butterhead. Read more about growing leaf lettuce here. Additionally, iceberg lettuce often requires specific environmental conditions to produce the tight head consumers are accustomed to- without bolting or becoming bitter. Many home gardeners find this type difficult to grow because it requires a long season and some of the most advertised varieties are not heat- They … Iceberg should be 12" apart. Of the head-forming lettuces, butterhead is considered to be a loose-heading type because the leaves don’t form tight, hard heads, like iceberg. Leaves are tender and often mild but flavorful. Head Lettuce Though most types of lettuce will eventually form a head, there are some, such as iceberg and romaine, that are typically grown specifically for a tight, central head. Also, fall crops often head better than summer crops - as the weather in the fall is cooling as they mature - which is exactly what they love. You’re right that iceberg, a popular crisphead type lettuce variety, do indeed form tight heads as they mature. Plants are crowded. Seed was planted too deep; place seed on seedbed and cover with ½ inch of soil. Lettuce is a cool weather plant. Butterhead Lettuce So, even though we can control temperatures closely in greenhouses, producers may not be able to exactly emulate conditions that are common in field iceberg production. Thin head lettuce to stand from 12 to 14 inches apart. If we can beat the hard freezes, head lettuce is possible here. However, there are conditions that can prevent this particular type from forming a proper head. Your lettuce is bolting already, even if it a leaf lettuce. Once they reach this stage, bolting is … You most likely planted a leaf lettuce. Instead, it forms soft, loose heads that taste “buttery,” hence the name. The leaves are creamy-white on the inside and are tightly-packed, having a mild flavor and crunchy texture. If this is what you're after (rather than a cutting mix) here is how to do it. Growing your own iceberg lettuce is simple, especially when you keep the seedlings indoors for the first couple of months. How to Grow Iceberg Lettuce. Even exposure to cold while the plants are seedlings can play a role. • Leaves of looseleaf varieties are … The outer leaves are edible, but are not sweet like the blanched inner leaves. Harvesting Iceberg Lettuce: If you have a big crop, begin to harvest iceberg lettuce after the head begins to form. It has a tightly compacted head with crisp, light-green leaves. 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