harvesting lettuce

Emily49 7/22/2020, 11:37 pm

How do you get your lettuce to stay crisp? Mine seems to start wilting within hours. It doesn't wilt at the store.

Yardslave 7/24/2020, 4:40 pm

Moisten 2 paper towels and squeeze excess water out. Pick a suitably sized container and lay one sheet down on the bottom, place rinsed, drained lettuce leaves, or the whole head on top of that sheet, top the lettuce with a moist paper towel and seal it up. Airtight containers, or plastic wrap on top will seal out dry refrigerator air. Remember that soaking wet veggies don't last long, that's why supermarkets soak 'em down. Ever notice the sprayers going off all the time on supermarket veggies? Wetting them down causes bacterial and fungal growth to hasten. Sealing wet veggies in an airtight plastic bag and leaving them inside will hasten the spoiling process too, and all that quicker spoilage insures that you will be back shopping for fresh veggies sooner. It's a gimmick to get you back for more.

OhioGardener 7/24/2020, 4:51 pm

Yardslave wrote:that's why supermarkets soak 'em down while waiting for a shopper to come by- wetting them down hastens bacterial an fungal growth. Sealing wet veggies in an airtight plastic bag will hasten the spoiling, and increases the turn around time for shopping for fresh veggies again. It's a gimmick to get you back sooner.

I thought they did that to make the vegetables weigh more, and they can charge more for them.

OhioGardener 7/24/2020, 4:55 pm

Emily49 wrote:How do you get your lettuce to stay crisp? Mine seems to start wilting within hours.

I pick the lettuce, spinach, etc., early in the morning while they are still fresh from the cool, damp night air. Then they are cleaned and put in a ziplock bag with a damp (not wet) paper towel, and then put them in the fridge. They keep for a long time that way without wilting. Kale, however, is put in bags in the fridge before washing - it lasts much longer that way.

dalepres 7/25/2020, 3:49 pm

OhioGardener wrote:
Yardslave wrote:that's why supermarkets soak 'em down while waiting for a shopper to come by- wetting them down hastens bacterial an fungal growth. Sealing wet veggies in an airtight plastic bag will hasten the spoiling, and increases the turn around time for shopping for fresh veggies again. It's a gimmick to get you back sooner.

I thought they did that to make the vegetables weigh more, and they can charge more for them.

My wife bought some peaches a few years ago. She tied the produce bag full of air to provide some protection for the peaches while she shopped. Before she ever got the bag into her cart, a very-well-meaning little-old-lady hurried over and without asking or saying anything first, took the bag from my wife's hand and poked a hole in it with her keys...

She explained to my wife that she did it to save us money; the stores charge you for that extra air.... Very Happy

No; I don't believe the stores wet the vegetables to charge you more or to hurry spoiling. They do it to protect their own investment in the vegetables. They want them to stay fresh on the shelves until purchased. They wouldn't intentionally do something to speed the spoiling of their own property.

goodtogrow 6/7/2022, 9:54 am

Emily49 wrote:How do you get your lettuce to stay crisp? Mine seems to start wilting within hours. It doesn't wilt at the store.

Conditioning Lettuce

When harvesting lettuce, particularly cut-and-come-again types:

Cut them straight into a plastic bag and seal it
Then tip them out into a bowl of ice-cold water as soon as you get them into the kitchen
Their cells will slowly fill up with water
Let them float there for a good hour or two before draining and spinning them dry
They will have all their crisp and crunch potential fully restored, and will store much better - up to a week - in a plastic bag in the bottom of the fridge

**sanderson** 6/7/2022, 2:30 pm

When I pick lettuce leaves, Swiss chard, kale, cucumbers, etc., I rinse well, pat or drain off excess water and store in a partially opened Ziplock baggie with a paper towel on the bottom. Simple.

markqz 6/7/2022, 9:13 pm

I bought a clear box made for storing bulky, leafy things. This prevents them from getting crushed by other items in my cramped fridge the way they would in plastic bags. I harvest near dawn or dusk, and store immediately -- don't linger outside too long. I wash when I need them, rather than subjecting them to the trauma immediately. Periodically I empty the container and wipe it down.

Like everyone else here, I've observed that moisture destroys the leaves faster. But I have a foraging book written by a PhD botanist who recommends spraying your plants as you collect them. So some people think that spraying helps. I think spraying helps in refrigerated, open air displays. That doesn't mean it's best for your own storage back at home. See article here.

Sponsored content

harvesting lettuce

harvesting lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce

Conditioning Lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce

Re: harvesting lettuce


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.