Drunken lady lettuce ~ recommend :)

holly-rocks, Dec 19, 6:07pm
Just over a month ago i discovered these at a local nursery, the name intrigued me so i purchased some and i highly recommend them, they are super fast growing, you can pick a leaf at a time and they are very bug resistant (the white butterfly's don't seam to like them) I've been eating them with breakfast, lunch and dinner most days and my 6 are still going strong :)
https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/full/697482652.jpg

Not sure if its something i do but i find homegrown lettuce very bitter but these are not. What lettuce are you growing atm?

Excuse the weeds :)

woody89, Dec 19, 6:41pm
I agree, my favourite variety too! Bought mine as 'drunken woman' mainly for the name but it's all I plant now.

hayster94, Dec 19, 7:18pm
Interesting. I can't say I have ever seen them around before. Did you buy them as seeds or seedlings?

holly-rocks, Dec 19, 7:24pm
Yay I'm glad you like them :) its the only lettuce i will grow from now on also.

holly-rocks, Dec 19, 7:27pm
Seedlings :)
This is the first I've seen them also. i purchased from a small business, not a large garden centre like Mitre10 ect so I can not recommend a place in your area to purchase sorry >.< but i do 100% recommend them :)

veejay13, Dec 19, 7:47pm
Mitre 10 in Tauranga stocks them - has done for about 5 years that I know of. The first year I grew them they had a lovely flavour, but the next year they were bitter. I wonder if it has to do with the fertiliser. This year I've been growing Cos and they're good - quite a nutty flavour.

holly-rocks, Dec 19, 8:23pm
Yay glad to hear its at Mitre 10 so its accessible to people :)
I used to grow cos lettuce, it looks so nice on the plate, such a cool shape but it was always bitter for me, its gotta be something I'm doing.
:)

maclad, Dec 19, 8:38pm
I think any lettuce will be bitter if they take too long to grow. Need plenty of water too.

dbab, Dec 19, 8:42pm
These have been available for quite a long time. Red Sails is a similar variety, and is my favourite.

jan2242, Dec 20, 9:31am
The mental picture i got of that name is hilarious.

malcovy, Dec 20, 1:36pm
Also when it bolts its still delicious to eat.

oh_hunnihunni, Dec 20, 2:07pm
Mine are 'freckles' lettuces. Even when flowering the leaves are sweet and delicious. It self seeds readily, grows anywhere, and it seems I always have some somewhere in the garden. Perfect salad or sandwich leaves.

veejay13, Dec 20, 3:50pm
Was it you, hunnihunni who posted about "freckles" lettuces a few weeks ago? I've looked in all the usual garden shops for them in Tauranga, but not a sign of either plants or seeds.

scruff71, Dec 20, 6:34pm
I buy "Drunken Lady" lettuce in Auckland from a Mitre10 branch. Always the best and the hardiest of all the lettuce varieties tried over the years.

colin433, Dec 20, 8:21pm
home grown lettuces shole always be wahed before eating, if they are hydroponic, they have already been wahed as they gothrough the process, but if home grown are not washed, they invariably taste bitter. Learnt that from my mother before hydroponic was ever thought of
(about 70 years ago)

eljayv, Dec 20, 8:56pm
We love them too have been growing for years now, another one we like is little gem which is like baby cos.

greyway21, Dec 21, 2:23pm
The only variety I grow now too.

dottyone1, Dec 21, 4:38pm
I used Kings Seeds Drunken Lady

anna1957, Dec 22, 9:07am
Try frisby. It's at Mitre 10. A nice crunchy lettuce and can be picked by the leaf

holly-rocks, Dec 22, 2:48pm
Yay Im so glad I'm to see great feedback on this lettuce! Thanks for your tips and suggestions for other lettuces too :) Happy gardening everyone :)

oh_hunnihunni, Dec 22, 3:28pm
Probably - I'm inclined to sing their praises rather a lot.

Kings have them - here:

https://www.kingsseeds.co.nz/shop/Organics/Organic+Vegetables/Lettuce+Freckles-5195.html

veejay13, Dec 22, 3:56pm
Many thanks. I've written out my order and will post it tomorrow.

das.newzealand, Dec 24, 1:28am
I have even written a song.'Oh drunken lady lady lettuce in".

groovydad, Jan 22, 9:03pm
Bitterness in lettuce is caused by them 'turning' or 'bolting' as they start to produce seed. Sometimes its not always visible but a quick peep to see if any elongation has started on the stalk is the answer. It happens as the weather warms up