How to Grow Buttercrunch Lettuce Greens

Buttercrunch lettuce is easy to grow. Sow the seeds of these fast-growing greens directly into the garden or started them indoors. For directly sowing seeds outdoors, spread the small seeds as thinly as possible. For indoor starts, sow a few seeds in each cell of a seed tray. Cover very lightly with a fine starter soil. Keep soil moist during the germination period. Fast sprouting seedlings should emerge in about 5-10 days.

Tip: When beginning transplants, stagger the start of your seedlings to spread out the crop. For example, if you are going to grow 24 plants, sow six in the seed tray today, sow six more 3-4 days later, etc.

Transplant seedlings into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Ideally, transplant them on a cool or cloudy day. Water well after transplanting. Space plants 8″-10″ apart, in rows 18″ apart. The soil should be rich, fertile, and well-draining. Keep the soil moist. Frequent use of nitrogen-rich fertilizer is recommended, too. The plants respond well to regular applications of liquid fertilizer.

Transplanting Tip: When transplanting any type of lettuce in hot weather, place some form of sunshade over the plant for a couple of days. Any makeshift shade will do.

Importantly, time the crop to mature before the onset of hot dry weather. In hot, humid conditions, the plant is likely to bolt…go to seed. Also, the plants can rot in hot and humid conditions.

For your fall crop, an indoor start is best. Lettuce seeds do not germinate well in the hot soil of mid-summer.

Also, See:

Plant Problems – how to identify and correct them

Soil Temperatures – germination temperature by vegetable

Ideal Soil pH – by vegetable