Same problem but this answer isn't relevant, it seems. How early must one plant? April? March? We still had snow on the ground into April, and it frosted into May. It has been cool all spring here in Rochester, NY (a few warm days waaay early on when the plants were tiny), plenty of moisture, shaded location, the soil is naturally rich and balanced (plenty of worm castings for fertilizer, too), the romaine isn't big at all, it is not even close to bolting, and the other type of lettuce we are growing just 2 feet away is not even slightly bitter! Any other ideas?