Varieties of Sweet Butter Lettuce

Varieties

• Sweet butter lettuce comes in two different varieties, namely the Boston butter lettuce or Boston lettuce and the Bibb lettuce, as cited by Donna Piner Rodnitzky in "Ultimate Juicing." Butter lettuces get their name from their delicate flavor and tender foliage. The plants are generally loose-leaved and develop small heads.

Boston Lettuce

• Boston lettuce has smooth, sweet flavor that is characteristic of the butter head variety. The foliage is very tender and soft and is highly prone to water loss and damage during storage and transportation. Boston lettuce is among the most used lettuce varieties in Europe but is not as widely used in the United States. Good-quality lettuce has bright, light green outer leaves with lighter, greenish yellow inner foliage.

Bibb Lettuce

• Bibb lettuce, also referred to as Kentucky limestone, was developed by John Bibb of Kentucky. The variety gets its alternative name from the limestone soils in the state. Similar to Boston lettuce, Bibb is also sweet in flavor and has large, leafy clusters. It is recommended for use with other lightweight salad ingredients, as the delicate leaves get easily bruised. The open-growth habit of the plant clusters and the ripples in the leaves make Bibbs prone to dirt collection. Wash carefully to clean the leaves prior to use.

Planting Suggestions

• Plant butterhead lettuce early in the spring after the last frost and as soon as soil is dry. Planting at two-week intervals ensures a continual harvest through early summer. Time the planting so that the vegetable is fully harvested prior to very high summer temperatures. Planting in late summer is also advised, as the harvest is ready during fall. Growth is best in well-drained, fertile, loose, sandy loam. Amend heavy soil with compost or rotted manure.