Celtuce - Summer

DESCRIPTION

Celtuce is a fascinating vegetable - a dual harvest crop, its called that by many English speakers because it can be used like celery and like lettuce at different times of its life cycle. This variety, Summer, is adapted to continue growing in warm temperatures, even though Celtuce is a cool weather crop. Protect from pests.

POT CARE AND PLANTING

Celtuce is easy to care for in a pot temporarily, but you won't get the best harvest from it - transplant into a larger pot or a garden bed within 7 days. Soil level should be 1mm below the start of the lowest leaves.

WATERING

Celtuce is a medium water consumer - water it an average amount once per day (early morning or late afternoon is best in summer).

SUN EXPOSURE

Celtuce Summer can take half to a full day of direct sun. Avoid letting the plant get too hot and thirsty, as this will cause it to go to flower (or "bolt") and the leaves to become bitter - this variety is forgiving though, while you practice. I recommend planting it near an East or West facing fence or wall. Too little sun will make the lettuce go yellow - if that happens, you can easily move it.

COMPANION PLANTING

Celtuce gets fairly big - maybe 25cm wide, and 50cm tall. It will grow best close to everything else - leaving space for the larger plants to expand.

HARVESTING AND EATING

You can eat celtuce throughout its life cycle - while the plant is growing, you can harvest the leaves, which have a lightly sweet and bitter taste like lettuce, and use them to make salads - but don't take too many at once, as the stem is said to be the real star of the show, and you don't want to hamper it's growth. When it reaches over knee height, but before it goes to flower, it's ready to be cut from the ground with garden shears and cleared of any remaining leaves. This stem is round and juicy and has a nutty, cucumber like flavour similar to celery. Slice it finely or into wheels - can be pickled, added to salads raw, or cooked very quickly - like lettuce, excessive cooking will turn it into mush. It can be added at the last minute to soups, stir fries, and curries. Don't pull the roots out of the ground if you want to collect seeds - they will also produce some baby celtuce leaves for you to pick.

SEED SAVING AND PROPAGATION

If you don't pull the roots out before the end of the season, eventually a flower spike will form, bearing a cluster of yellow flowers. When you start to see them open a second time, they'll have fluffy winged seeds, since they're related to dandelions. Pick these fl If you don't pull the roots out before the end of the season, eventually a flower spike will form, quickly doubling the height of the plant and turning the stem woody. It will bloom with yellow flowers, and when you start to see them open a second time, they'll be full of fluffy winged seeds, since they're related to dandelions. Pick these flowers individually, or cut the whole spike off on a day when it's looking really fluffy, and dry them whole in a paper bag. Break up the dried flowers and discard the larger pieces of material - these seeds will be good for at least 3 years. You can re-sow your own crop right away, or save your lettuce seeds over the winter in something airtight. They're quick and easy to germinate - simply cover with about 3mm of soil and water daily, when daytime temperatures are above about 12 degrees.