When is the lettuce ready to harvest?
The exact time of harvest varies enormously depending on the lettuce varieties. Fast-growing varieties can be harvested in as little as six or eight weeks, whereas very large heads of lettuce can take up to four months to reach their full size.
The exact development time is usually noted on the seed package. Here you will also find an overview of the most common types of lettuce and their harvest period.
In general, there is not much you can do wrong about harvest time, provided you don't harvest too late. Simply harvest your lettuce when you are happy with the size or harvest the outer leaves over a longer period of time and let your lettuce continue to grow.
Don't harvest too late
As soon as the lettuce is preparing to flower, it should be harvested completely. Flowering costs the lettuce strength and nutrients, which it removes from the leaves, making them less aromatic and less nutritious.
