With the rise in popularity of a tolerant diversity of ethnic crops , it ’s a wonderment more farmers have n’t latched onto arise celtuce and insert it to their client .
What Is Celtuce?
Also known as prow lettuce , asparagus lolly or celery lettuce , celtuce ( Lactuca sativavar . augustana ) is a specific diverseness of lettuce grown for its thick , sarcoid stems . A pop Asiatic veg , celtuce has yet to be adopted by many North American cooks , but once they give it a go , they wo n’t appear back .
While the leaves can be eat in the outpouring , just like any other case oflettuce , stem lettuce is prized for its affectionate white stems . Eaten cooked or bare-assed , celtuce can be organize in many different ways . Its balmy , nuts tone is delicious grilled or stir - fried . The stem can also be roast or even pickled .
Growing Celtuce
In northerly area , stem lettuce seeds are well sow in directly into the garden in mid - bound . In the South , seminal fluid should be planted in the fall for wintertime harvests . Once the seedling make a few inches marvelous , slim down them to 10 to 12 column inch aside . Choose a situation with full sun exposure and well - debilitate soil , fat in organic matter .
Although the leaves can be harvest at any time for economic consumption as a refreshful green , for the best stem production , let the plant to turn throughout the summer . The thick theme are then glean in mid to late summer , typically in former August here in my Pennsylvania garden .
Harvesting Celtuce
At harvest time , Lactuca sativa asparagina stems should be about 1 inch in diameter and 12 to 18 inches grandiloquent . I find that picking them in the morning results in a crisper grain than afternoon harvests .
To harvest stem lettuce stem , snap or cut them off at ground grade , leave the uppermost leaf entire but tug off the lowest leave-taking . By mid - summertime , these lower leave are often a number acerbic , but unlike the leaves , the bow of celtuce do not grow bitter in summer ’s passion . The sapidity stay mild and delicious .
To fix celtuce , peel the stem with a knife to reveal the inner livid bod . It can be slice and dish out raw in salad and slaws , and even after cookery , it stay crispy , with a texture much like kohlrabi .
At the end of the growing season , should your celtuce go to flower , let it do so . It will drop cum that will grow into next class ’s crop without any help from you .
Seeds of celtuce are available fromBaker Creek Heirloom Seed , Kitazawa SeedsandJohnny ’s Selected Seeds .
