bitter, peppery, awful lettuce

[jillswindoll]

I planted my grow bed full of a lettuce mix called Wildfire. It contains lots of red varities as well as the following greens: Tango, Royal Oak, Paris Island and saladbowl My problem is that all of the lettuce (red and green) tastes terrible! It is peppery and bitter.

I have come across several different reasons for this such as letting it grow for too long (these plants have been in the bed for a month and they did not taste bad when I put them in there), not enough water (c’mon! It’s an aquaponics system!) weather that is too hot (we have had several days in the upper 80’s but not many and lately it has been much cooler than that), lettuce that’s ready to go to seed (plants are too young), and too much nitrogen fertilizer (I don’t think this is the problem because the plants have been growing very s..l..o..w..l..y)

Has this happened to any of you? Is it possible that it caused by the algae in the fish tank (not AWFUL, just not very pretty to look at) Water chemistry is normal.

Since this is the first crop of plants in my aquaponics system I am looking at some very expensive inedible lettuce!

[Outbackozzie]

I found that my first few crops of lettuce were awful as well. I tried the fancy stuff, and now grow cos + iceberg. These come out great.

Flood and drain siphon, varying between 12 hours on 12 off to continuous - all still tastes ok.

[GaryD]

Hi Jill,

(I don’t think this is the problem because the plants have been growing very s..l..o..w..l..y)

There's the answer. When lettuce grow slowly they become bitter. Fancy lettuce should grow to harvest in about 19 - 21 days.

Gary

[Jason Palenske]

plus fancier lettuces are heavy water drinkers too, maybe the roots weren't getting enough liquid.

[jack@badflas]

When lettuce gets too hot it bolts and goes to seen. When it does that it produces chemicals to make itself inedible to protect the seeds. Lettuse is a cool weather crop and must stay below about 85F for good results.

[DaveOponic]

A Japanese Hydroponics "expert" from a government Hydro farm here in Brunei told me "You can't grow lettuce in Brunei" (read in the tropics)

In fact this guy is really out of touch because the commercial hydro farms here in Brunei are growing lettuce and selling it in the supermarkets. I haven't visited their operation but I would guess that it is grown in cooled (air-con) shadehouses.

I have had mixed success with lettuce in Hydro. and also in AP more recently.
I plan to grow more soon but it will be undercover - semi shade and I'll possibly try some fan cooling above the growbed.

My lettuce if picked early has been very good quality. I have only grown the gourmet style lettuce - never the big iceberg lettuces.

It goes to seed very quickly. I think because of the heat. We have a fairly constant temp. here between 25 - 30 celsius 24 hours a day.

I would like to try growing indoors with air con. But my wife won't let me grow anything inside the house. I have a shed which I may try and convert later to a grow area with air con. I think if I could get temp. below 25 deg. and install some good lighting the results could be very promising.