How to Grow Buttercrunch Bibb
Lactuca sativa 'Buttercrunch'
Buttercrunch Bibb is a popular heirloom lettuce variety prized for its tender, buttery leaves and sweet flavor. Gardeners grow it to enjoy fresh salads during cool seasons when other greens struggle in the heat.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Buttercrunch Bibb: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Buttercrunch Bibb is not usually started indoors.
This variety is best sown directly into the garden rather than transplanted, though seedlings can be moved carefully if started indoors within the recommended window.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Sow seeds directly outdoors or start indoors 2-6 weeks before your last spring frost date. Press seeds lightly into the soil surface at a depth of about 1/4 inch. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 10 days, so keep the soil consistently moist but not sogly during this period.
Space plants 8 to 10 inches apart to ensure proper air circulation and head formation. Lettuce does not require support or trellising. Provide about one inch of water per week, maintaining consistent moisture to prevent bitterness. Apply a light layer of mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds, but avoid piling it against the stems.
Monitor for aphids, slugs, snails, cutworms, and flea beetles; use row covers or organic controls like diatomaceous earth. Watch for downy mildew, lettuce drop, bottom rot, and tip burn by ensuring good airflow and avoiding overhead watering. Harvest outer leaves when the plant is 65 to 75 days old, cutting them just above the base to encourage continued growth.
When to Plant Buttercrunch Bibb
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Buttercrunch Bibb
✓ Good companions
Different root depths allow efficient space use without competition
Repels aphids and improves lettuce flavor while taking up minimal space
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs that control aphid populations
Natural pest deterrent against aphids and slugs that commonly attack lettuce
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes that damage lettuce roots
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting lettuce
Fast-growing crop that breaks up soil and deters cucumber beetles
Similar growing requirements and harvest times, efficient garden space use
✗ Keep away from
Heavy feeder that competes for nutrients and creates too much shade
Inhibits growth of most garden plants including lettuce through allelopathy
Allelopathic compounds inhibit lettuce germination and growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
