How is romaine lettuce harvested commercially?
The bulk of romaine lettuce is hand harvested, although mechanical harvesters are used by some operations. Small numbers of bacterial pathogens may survive on field lettuce for one or more weeks after contamination. Chlorine or other sanitizers are used in wash water to prevent cross-contamination of lettuce.
What is the best way to pick romaine lettuce?
Squeeze the heads to check. An immature romaine head is loose and compresses easily, while an overly ripe head feels hard to the touch. Harvest the lettuce when it reaches between 6 and 8 inches tall, with leaves that begin to tighten. Check the romaine in the morning when it nears harvest time.
What tools are used to harvest lettuce?
Well-sharpened garden shears do a great job of harvesting herbs and leafy vegetables such as leaf lettuces (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Spinacea oleracea).
How many times can you harvest romaine lettuce?
Keep an eye on the inner leaves of the romaine head and give them time to continue growing. Once they’ve opened up and matured, they’re ready to harvest. This process can happen quickly, so check on your garden daily. You’ll be able to get 3–4 additional harvests by picking only the mature, outermost leaves each time.
Does romaine lettuce regrow after cutting?
Yes! To regrow lettuce, start by taking the lettuce and cutting it about 1 inch from the bottom. Put this stem in a shallow dish filled with about 1/2 inch of water. In about 10-12 days, the lettuce will be fully grown.
How is spring mix harvested?
With a sharp pair of scissors, shears, or a knife neatly cut off a bunch of greens, leaving about an inch or so of plant left growing out of the ground. Greens are resilient and will grow back within a week or two after being cut. Place the greens in a collection basket or bucket and continue on.
Where does spring mix come from?
Spring mix is made up of 16 fresh greens and lettuces of varying tastes and textures, including red romaine, baby spinach, radicchio, green romaine, red oak leaf, mizuna, red leaf, lollo rosso, arugula, red mustard, green mustard, red chard, frisee, and tatsoi.
How do you harvest leaf lettuce so it keeps growing?
Cut the outer lettuce leaves about 1 inch above the crown. This protects the crown so the lettuce can continue growing. Cut off the amount of lettuce needed when the leaves reach a length between 3 and 6 inches. Water the lettuce regularly to encourage continued growth even after you begin harvesting.
What’s the best way to harvest romaine lettuce?
If you’d like to have a harvest of only mature leaves, choose the outermost 6–8 leaves from the lettuce head. The advantage to this method of harvesting romaine is that you’ll be able to enjoy a prolonged harvest, as each set of inner leaves takes another week or so to mature.
What kind of leaves do romaine lettuce have?
Red Romaine. This eye-catching romaine deserves a spot in both the vegetable and the flower garden. Colorful leaves start out green, then fade to a deep red-bronze as they mature. Red Romaine leaves bring a sweet, flavorful crunch to salads and sandwiches.
What to do with red romaine plant leaves?
Red Romaine leaves bring a sweet, flavorful crunch to salads and sandwiches. The heads (if allowed to form) are thick enough to grill. Plants are slow to bolt and grow best in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade and even appreciate it in spring in hot climates. Resistant to mosaic virus.
How much Romaine can you pick in an hour?
It has a capability to harvest 12,000 pounds of Romaine per hour into totes and up to 24,000 per hour in a bulk loading version. This harvesting method is the way of the future because of it’s increased yield, it’s natural sanitary cutting method, and it’s ability to negotiate uneven beds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_GiaMUJ6AQ