Those of you who grow head lettuce... question (growing, Canada, leaves)
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When you pick a fresh head of lettuce and cut it open, what colour is the inner core? Am I wrong in thinking they are green right through?
I've never grown it but I think the ones we buy at the grocery store are old even in season. They are always yellow and I can't stand the yellow part. (I throw it in the compost)
When we were away on vacation this winter, I was tossing the yellow parts away and my brother said wait, I love that part! ??? I said "yuck, it's a sign of an older head of lettuce." He didn't think so. Right or wrong?
Your brother is right. Those small yellow inner leaves are baby leaves, they are still growing. (I really like them too).
The inner core is white, the smaller inner baby leaves are yellow partly because they don't start to get any light until outer leaves are removed, the larger outer more mature leaves are green. If you were to strip off only the more mature outer green leaves as you need them and allow the small yellow leaves to remain on the inner core the babies will continue to grow bigger and will turn green. That's provided the lettuce plant is still growing out of the ground or if the cut stem/core is still long enough and thick enough to support them and provide the baby leaves with nutrition. When I buy a head of iceberg lettuce at the store I always look for a head that has a stem/core as long and thick as possible. Then the whole head will stay fresh longer and the inner yellow leaves will continue to develop, even when it is in a dark refridgerator. But they will stay yellow in the fridge because they need light to turn green.
Ok, thanks Zoisite. Hmm, I hate it when he's right lol
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