How to Grow Buttercrunch
Lactuca sativa
Buttercrunch lettuce is a beloved heirloom variety known for its tender, buttery leaves that offer a mild, sweet flavor perfect for salads or sandwiches. Gardeners prize this cool-season crop for its reliable growth in cooler months and resistance to tipburn, making it an easy choice for home plots.
📷 Wikipedia: LettuceStarting Buttercrunch: indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 4 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
While direct sowing is common, seedlings started indoors can be moved outdoors once they are sturdy and weather has passed the last frost date.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8 before sowing. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors or start indoors two to six weeks before the last spring frost. Press seeds gently into the soil at a depth of about one-quarter inch. Expect germination within seven to fourteen days once conditions are favorable.
Space plants eight to ten inches apart to ensure proper air circulation and head formation. Keep moisture consistent with one to one-and-a-half inches of water weekly, avoiding wet leaves during the day. Apply a light layer of mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds, feeding lightly if growth seems sluggish.
Watch for aphids, leafminers, slugs, and flea beetles; use row covers or hand-pick pests early. Prevent downy mildew and tipburn by ensuring good airflow and watering at the soil level rather than overhead. Harvest outer leaves when plants reach fifty-five to sixty-five days old, cutting them close to the base for a continuous supply.
When to Plant Buttercrunch
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 | June – 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
✓ Good companions
Deep roots don't compete with shallow lettuce roots, helps loosen soil
Repels aphids and improves lettuce growth and flavor
Attracts beneficial insects that prey on lettuce pests
Natural pest deterrent, repels aphids and rabbits
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes that damage lettuce
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Quick harvest creates space, helps break up soil for lettuce roots
Similar growing conditions, provides ground cover and efficient space use
✗ Keep away from
Heavy feeder that competes for nitrogen, can overshadow lettuce
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Creates excessive shade and competes heavily for nutrients and water
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
