Growing a few 'Cracoviensis' reddish lettuce which can be supposedly grown for the celtuce stem. This is a strong growing lettuce, seems like half weed, maybe it has some wild genetics. Try it for something different. The leaves need to be picked before they get long, but they don't seem bothered by heat.

So when do you harvest the stem? It has been 85-90 F degrees the past week with lots of rain. Growing like weeds. Do you wait until flower buds start to form? Before flower buds? Does the heat ruin the taste?

So why don't people eat "regular" lettuce stems? I've got a few other lettuce left that have stems now. The stem doesn't get thick enough to bother? Or people are just used to cutting the "head" off?