Why Does the US Keep Running Out Of Lettuce?

Instead of overpaying for lettuce grown hundreds or thousands of miles away, grow fresh, delicious, and unique varieties at home - it's one of the easiest crops to get started with. Here are a few of our favs for the 2023 season...all recommended by the Botanical Interests team!

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[roundtuit]

The look at where lettuce is grown seasonally was really interesting! I've come to expect all food to be available year round, but I hadn't thought of the logistics of pulling that off. I'd love to see more of that kind of thing.

[bobnewkirk]

Another important consideration is the post-harvest processing step. Most of the lettuce that is grown commercially in the US goes through the same processing plants, and in turn gets washed in the same flumes as all the other lettuce coming in from the field. This becomes problematic as the irrigation and animal management systems on the farms are lacking so bacterial and parasitic contamination can spread from one contaminated head to the entire processing line (flume). Lettuce is a highly centralized industry so when one region fails to come to market the entire economy lacks product.

In some of the recent outbreaks a parasite called Cyclosopora persisted in the wash water (it is largely bleach tolerant) and spread from one farm's contaminated irrigation water into the flume and rendered a whole batch of lettuce unsafe for human consumption. That lot lettuce was recalled, and many other lots were recalled based on uncertainty of safety. When all the lettuce coming out of that factory is pulled until they fix the problem we end up literally starving the US lettuce trade for that period of time; resulting in a huge demand on smaller growers to keep up and insane price inflation.

I very much encourage the information you share in this video as its actually astonishing how centralized most leafy food crops are in the US. as detection methods become more advanced i would expect to see seasonal shortages of all the leafy greens due to contamination issues. We can largely ignore this problem by growing our own, and also may end up enjoying the seasonality to our food.

[onarandomnote]

As an Australian, we feel you from last year, the flooding rains wiped out most lettuce farms. Good thing it's really easy to grow, so our family didn't run out, but some heads of lettuce at the shops got upwards of $20 when they're normally $3.

[jeannenation]

I have been paying $3 for a very small bunch of red leaf lettuce at the store, one other store was charging $3.50 a small bunch! A few weeks ago decided to start my own under grow lights, they are doing very well and should be ready to have a small salad in another 1 1/2 weeks! I have 4 varieties growing, one of them is Truchas that I am excited to grow for the first time. Will be starting seeds every 2 weeks for a continuous supply throughout the winter.

[brittanycooper]

Having to wake up to -20 and lower temps this morning, I am really missing growing my plants outdoors! Great video, I had no clue, sounds like I’ll be growing more brassicas this spring!

[thesilentone]

Just payed $119 for food like 20 minutes ago.
Just so you know its about 1 to 2 weeks of food and I used coupons.
I'm in nevada in vages I have a lettuce bed in 5 different windows in my home with lime grass and some onions and a couple garlic growing with them.
Yes I get very good productivity out of them and yes its all organic and yes there all in long pots 4 feet deep 5 feet long so ya.

[pickleslabs]

6:06 Thanks so much for the lettuce run down! I didn’t know there are so many varieties.

[lavidawithjoey]

One of my favorite reasons to grow lettuce is the way it bounces back after trimmings. I recently convinced my parents to allow me to create a new dig garden in a few areas with different varieties of lettuce. It required a weekly trim to keep the plants happy, healthy, and organized!

[joyofgrowing]

I love lettuce!! It's my go to morning breakfast a big bowl of plain lettuce with sliced avacado, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and possibly 🫒 olives!

[jamesbyrd]

Our area is named San Joaquin County. Thank you for pointing out the issues. I enjoy your channel. Keep up the good work!

[andrewgrantkenneth]

I grow lettuce, particularly cos lettuce in the space between rows of tomatoes. They get a bit of shade and increase production. Butter crunch are my other favorite variety. We're eating lettuce everyday in our New Zealand summer, not complaining!

[pascalxus]

i am so excited for growing lettuce now! i'm about to start some up on a heating matt

[aarontomaselli]

I just toss a few seeds in the Aerogarden and done. Lettuce always seems to be off the shelfs at the store.

[pluralizor]

This is literally why I advocate everyone grow their own basic greens

[ThirdCoastGardening]

I bought a hydroponic grow tower to grow lettuce in my house. Trying to be healthier and grow more of my own food.

[Sandy-ggto]

I keep running out of lettuce because of a rouge groundhog family. Happy holidays, garden nerds!!!

[donnaclinton]

Been growing in my apartment through aerogarden and just started Kratky method.

[WhiteDragonFlames]

Hmmm.. didn't know we had a shortage. I've been able to get some whenever I want at the stores.

[Derackula]

Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) is a lettuce alternative that grows natively, easily, and abundantly in California. Contributes to the local native ecosystem as well :)

[carlosm-kitchen]

I don't have room to grow anything. But, the ones you grow are delicious and look so healthy.