Buttercrunch Lettuce

 

source: MIGardener

While it’s not considered an heirloom, it’s an award winning cultivar that has been a staple garden lettuce since the early 1960s. This variety is more tolerant to both heat and cold than other types. The plants are great for square foot gardening because of their ability to be planted closely together.

Wait until the threat of frost has passed and sow directly in fertile soil, preferably at a site with partial shade. Be sure that the ground has thawed if you’re gardening in an area where it freezes in winter. Sow seeds about one-eighth of an inch deep; seedlings need light to germinate, so avoid planting too deeply. Space plants at least ten to twelve inches apart. If you plant them closer together, you’ll need to thin them out after they sprout by choosing the healthiest, fastest growing plants and plucking the ones that don’t make the cut.

Keep the soil consistently moist, but not wet. Avoid overwatering or allowing soil to become soggy as this can cause rotting.

Seedlings should emerge in one to two weeks. They’re initially small and weak, and extremely susceptible to sunscald, which can cause them to wilt and die in just a few hours.

Most heads will reach maturity in as little as 50 to 60 days, so it’s possible to plant several crops in succession throughout the growing season. If the soil dries out too often, lettuce can become stressed, leaving them open to damage from disease and pests. To keep soil consistently moist, a light layer of mulch can be added, however, avoid allowing soil or mulch to come into contact with the lower leaves, as this can also cause rotting.

Individual leaves can be cut from lettuce in the garden or in containers any time after a head has formed. Always cut leaves from the outside first, because leaves cut from the inside of the head will not regenerate. Bear in mind that you do not want to remove more than a few leaves at a time from each head if you go this route, as removing too much can kill the plants. Cut leaves can be stored in the refrigerator, typically for up to a few weeks. I prefer to store them in a zipper-sealed plastic bag with a paper towel to collect moisture and prevent wilting. Full heads can be harvested at any time through the growing season. You may choose to cut the head from the stem, or pull the entire plant up by the roots. If you plan to plant more than one crop in the same plot, harvesting the entire plant – roots and all – is best.

Buttercrunch lettuce can also be eaten as a microgreen. Starting a layer of seeds in a shallow tray will result in a dense carpet of sprouts, which can then be harvested in as little as a few days or up to about two weeks. Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the sprouts close to the root by the handful, or simply brush off the seed coats and use the entire sprout. Immediately after harvesting sprouts, refrigerate them to keep them fresh. Be prepared to use them within a few days to a week maximum, because they don’t have a long shelf life.

-Phyllis