Well that's an easy one...as soon as the leaves are big enough, start picking....Mine are always way too thick so I start picking when those little leaves get three or four inches...young and tender is wonderful.

I pick mine about the same size. Just snip off what you need.

Will lettuce continue to produce more leaves for you, after you harvest some? This too is my first time to garden and I have planted, 'Salad Bowl' and 'Grand Rapids'. My 'Salad Bowl' is between 3 - 5 inches high, and looks yummy. I just was wondering if I took a few of the outter leaves, will the plant continue to thrive and produce more leaves.... Also, are there signs of when your lettuce is about to bolt? Thank you, everyone!

Keep Smiling, Amy :)
Happy Gardening!

Here is a link that might be useful: * My Lettuce *

Well the link to "my lettuce" showed some chat room with some cartoon charectors!?!?
When lettuce, chard and spinach (or most leafy type winter plants) are ready to bolt, they send up a tall shoot up the middle. I try to break these off as soon as I see them starting and before they set flowers. If you get them early, you don't get the bitter taste.
I know nothing about iceburg lettuce because it really has no nutrients. It's all water.
All the leaf lettuce is so much more nutritious and so much better for you! You can pick it by the leaf and keep it growing for a LONG time if it's in shade or cooler weather. HTH Nancy

FOR MORE lettuce info go to

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cornucop/msg061553588832.html?39

Here is a link that might be useful: lettuce

"I know nothing about iceburg lettuce because it really has no nutrients. It's all water."

I don't understand this statement. If you know nothing about iceberg lettuce, how could you know it has no nutrients? Is this based on data or just on your impression of iceberg lettuce? Maybe you don't care for its culinary qualities. Its nutritional value is quite similar to other lettuces however. All lettuce has a high water content.

Jim

Well, what I've read is that iceburg lettuce is all water and has very few nutrients.
The more color, the more nutrients!
I use green leaf, red leaf and romain when I buy lettuce.
When I grow it , it is all of the above + mesclun mix.
My doc is impressed with the ammount of greens I grow!
HTH Nancy

Nancy,
Thank you for answering my questions! I'm going to have a fresh "from MY garden" salad tonight! :)
Sorry, my link didn't work for you. I don't know what happened? It's a link to my photo album, on my bebo webpage.
Thank you again, Amy :)

I also read that iceberg is lower in nutritional value. For that reason I dont buy it much and I would never grow it either. I was told to grow/buy dark green or red leaf lettuce and vegetables. The darker or the more colorful the vegetable, the more nutritional qualities it has. I know you're not supposed to believe everything you read but...I've read this numerous times.