Buttercrunch green lettuce is a type of Bibb lettuce (American butter lettuce) that produces beautiful, mildly sweet, soft rosettes about 30 cm in diameter. Its large leaves are vibrant green. Also called Boston lettuce, it is heat tolerant meaning it does not become too bitter in hot weather, and resistant to the lettuce mosaic virus. For a better taste, harvest before it gets too mature and before flowers appear.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Seeds

~1000

Difficulty       

Easy

Sowing        

Direct, Indoor

Lifecycle      

Annual

Root cellar   

No

Sowing season       

Spring, Summer

Color 

Green

Growing tips

Germination conditions:

seedling depth: 2.5 mm or surface sow

optimal temperature for germination: 10 to 22ºC

time for germination: 7 to 14 days

When to sow:

indoor sowing 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date in your area OR

direct seeding when the soil can be worked in the spring (2 to 3 weeks before the last frost) and towards the end of July/beginning of August for a fall harvest

Sowing technique: in pocket

Inside the same hole, sow 3 to 5 seeds spaced 1 to 2 cm apart; when the seeds have germinated and the seedlings have reached a height of 5 cm, keep all the plants if space is available or keep only the best plants.

for indoor seedlings: transplant into individual containers while waiting for transplanting in the garden OR

for direct seedlings: transplant to their final location in the garden

Transplanting outdoors (for seedlings started indoors):

Planting in the garden when the soil has warmed up: after having hardened off the plants for a few days outdoors, plant in soil with a prior application of compost, keeping the stem slightly above the soil so as not to bury the central bud.

Distance in the garden:

between plants: 30 cm

between rows: 45 cm

Soil: loose and well drained

Watering: regular and moderate

Exposure: full sun or light shade

When to harvest: 60-70 days for mature leaves

Recommendations:

Mulching the base of the plants helps keep the soil cool and moist and helps control weed growth;

Adding organic matter (homemade or commercial compost or decomposed manure) or a natural fertilizer once or twice during the season is beneficial for the plants.