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Reasons for Salad going bitter

tomhumftomhumf Posts: 65
in Fruit & veg
I planted quite a lot of salads - lollo rosso, baby oakleaf, butterhead sowed in late February. I'm doing the pick and come again method. The first couple of picks were really tasty. It seems they are now tasting more bitter every pick, I've probably done about 5 picks from most of them. Maybe I'm just being fussy, it's not really nasty bitter just not as good as the first lots.

I haven't watered them much because they don't look wilted or dried up but we have had a few long periods of dry spells.  

I'm wondering if they will start to taste better again if we have wetter weather or I water them more. Or perhaps they are just too old and I should sow some more and pull it up? I'm not sure how long most people would leave these kind of plants in the ground. Thanks! 

Posts

  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    Salads can bitter in hot dry weather especially if in full sun, they will often bolt too which makes them bitter. They like plenty of water too. My 1st sale growing last year was a real learning curve, the patch in full sun was very bitter the patch which got early and late sun with much damper soil was really tasty and went on for months
  • tomhumftomhumf Posts: 65
    Yes pansyface that's what I mean. Wilderbeast they aren't bolting yet but yes maybe I should have watered more, I'll do that in future. I have too many anyway. Ideas for veg to sow now? 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Veg to sow now ... oriental greens ... Pak Choi, Mizuna and that sort of thing ... they don't bolt as easily if sown after midsummer.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • EmptyheadtimeEmptyheadtime Posts: 366
    edited June 2021
    I agree with wilderbeast. I find my salads try to bolt in the heat or if they dry out a bit and start to taste bitter. I find they grow better when kept out of the blazing sun and kept watered. As my cut and come again type plants age I also find the taste declines and that’s why I keep succession sowing of salads, little and often. I find younger leaves taste way better. I planted my first lot in March and have already cleared them (and filled the space with Mays showings) and am eating the April sown ones as my May sown ones come on.
    nothing quite like fresh salad. Way better than any super market stuff.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Interesting @pansyface, though the  chemical names are befuddling!
    I like Brussels sprouts, black coffee, dark chocolate and bitter grapefruit, so will either get lots of food benefits or fall foul of the many available plant cyanins!
    Whoever would have thought there could be 50+ bitter taste receptors. :)
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