Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thaking dog out for her morning walk, go past the tank. Wow, My lettuce is looking great. Good growth rates, leaves healthy, leaves in heart are nice and soft, I think I will have some to eat fresh out of the patch. Thats the idea with AP isn't it? Result, spitting out the most disgustingly bitter leaf.

Any body got any suggestions as to why is my lettuce so bitter. Toms also have hard skin with unflavoursome insides. Maybe its the type of plant I selected.

On the bright side, strawberries are yum. Not many make it inside the house to share though. Kids are putting out formal requests to eat them!

what kind of lettuce dr bee? Ive got some endives growing and i may never eat iceburg again

Hiya. Lettuce is generally a cool season crop, even if it is what we want to eat with our salad in summer. Ours also is bitter and it is growing under shade. The oakleaf is tasting best. However, the sugarbeet that we planted 2 & 1/2 months ago is now a ready substitute as the leaves taste a little like english spinach (sorry but that doesnt help you). Try some 'all season' lettuce seed. Have heard that 'malabar' spinach is also good in the warmer months but havent tried them yet as we are still waiting for our Diggers order to arrive .

Mixed salad lettuce seedlings from memory, maybe try again in winter, esp now the thing is cycled.

How are your toms turning out. Again, mine are seedlings ex the local store. Mini Romas I thought, but they are pear shaped (and mini), but taking forever to colour, and then when they do, taste pretty bleh! and tough. Haven't put shade cloth over. Would it help? I know last weeks cold weather messed things up a bit. I had a few strawberries go wooden and didn't colour up. Wish I put more strawberries in now. Just can't grow enough.

Some of mine was the same Dr Bee, but depended on variety. Got cos happening atm and its ok.

Harvested and ate chard for first time last night. Eldest daughter and I loved it, youngest d and wife not so much, but think its a taste thing not a AP thing.

once lettuce goes to seed are they no good anymore?

Yum. Our toms are yum We had the first two on Monday but we bought the other ingredients for the salad Watching the next crop colour up now. The shade works for us as you may imagine how hot it is on all that concrete. Your strawbs are our envy. all of ours died

Gorotsuki, when lettuce 'bolts' or goes to seed you will find the taste very unpleasant. However, steal a stocking from your wife and when the seed gets white and fluffy like a dandilion, slip the stocking over the head and secure with a peg. After the plant dies back rub seed off and save. Viola, no more need to buy seed

R&R

The Strabs are tasting great, will split them up at end of season for more next year.

Not sure if wife likes stocking over her head. Maybe things are done differently over other side of river?

I'd be concerned about how he was going to secure it with a peg if I were in her shoes!

Yeah was a rather ambiguous statement.

After re-reading your post I now understand you meant the stocking for the lettuce. Silly me!! Was also worried about the peg. Plenty of tent pegs to stop her running away??

Not any more!!!

Well, a year has gone by now since fish introduced, lettuce went in early winter, and has supplied us with many meals of sweet crispy green stuff. Still plenty to pick, hopefully will get through this coming weeks heat spell. Haven't yet put up shade or netting.

Makes a difference planting at the right time, having the system cycled, and not moving the plants every couple of weeks.

I was a bit dispondent with returns last year, but alot happier now.

Fish hitting thier food well, so looking forwards to a good growing season over summer.

I have bitter lettuce at the moment, I you plan ahead for salads, pick your lettuce wash under really cold water and leave in the firdge overnight and the bitterness is gone.

We will certainly be giving your hot tip a go!