When is butter lettuce ready to harvest

This cultivar belongs to the butterhead variety of lettuce, which are known for their loosely packed rosette-shaped heads rather than the tightly packed heads characteristic of other varieties. Harvesting 'Buttercrunch' lettuce requires no special equipment or skill, but care is needed during the process to prevent bruising the delicate leaves. According to the Utah State University Extension , butterhead lettuce varieties such as 'Buttercrunch' should be picked in the early heading stage when the outer leaves flare out slightly and the inner leaves are in a rosette shape.

This variety is very slow to bolt, so there should not be any sign of a flower stalk emerging from the center of the rosette. If a flower stalk has formed, don't try to harvest or eat the lettuce because it will taste bitter. The University of Illinois Extension recommends cutting off butterhead lettuce at soil level to harvest it. Use a sharp knife to cut through the base of the plant, cutting away from yourself to avoid injury.

Alternatively, you can harvest butterhead lettuce by grasping the head at the base and twisting upward. It's OK if you uproot the entire plant because it won't regrow after harvest. Most of the lettuce have crowns.

What is causing the problem? Plant leaves tinged with purple may be reacting to cold temperatures. If nights are cold, place a row cover over your lettuce or grow them under a plastic tunnel in winter.

When lettuce is attacked by bacterial disease leaves will turn black, spotted, and slimy. If the lettuce leaves are otherwise healthy, the purple tinge may not be a long term problem. Avoid overhead watering; water at the base of plants. Get the best gardening tips straight into your inbox! Here are some basic tips to follow to ensure that you get a lot more lettuce from your buttercrunch harvest. You should harvest only at the time of day that puts the least stress on the plant.

If you harvest or remove heads during the heat of noon, the plant is doubly stressed. But near the break of dawn would be an ideal time. Instead, look for enough firmness. You want something that is nice and crisp to the bite, but at the same time delivers optimal freshness and flavor. The best way to get this, of course, is to harvest only firm heads that are not yet fully mature. Take a long look at the plant that you just harvested from. Ideally, you should have left enough leaves there for the plant to be able to produce another head that you can collect later on.

This ensures that the lettuce will remain productive longer through the growing season. You should be proactive, however. If you notice that there are too many leaves on the base of the plant, you might want to cut these back. Cut them individually. So, understand that whenever lettuce starts producing flowers, the plant is basically changed for the worst.