Harvest guide
When to harvest butterhead lettuce
How to harvest butterhead lettuce
Harvest gently with clean scissors or a knife rather than tearing, and take a little at first to see how the plant responds.
Storing your harvest
Keep it cool and use it fresh where possible; most home-grown crops lose flavour quickly once picked.
The mistake to avoid
Assuming every part of butterhead lettuce is edible. For a number of food plants, one part is the crop and another is not safe to eat — confirm which before you harvest.
More butterhead lettuce care
- When to harvest lettuce — the species this cultivar belongs to
- When to harvest butterhead lettuce — our other guide for the same plant
- Full butterhead lettuce care guide
- How to prune butterhead lettuce
- How to propagate butterhead lettuce
- Growing butterhead lettuce in a pot
- How to overwinter butterhead lettuce
- Best plant identifier apps — tested and ranked
Harvesting butterhead lettuce — FAQ
When is butterhead lettuce ready to harvest?
Depends on the crop — confirm which part is eaten before you harvest. Which part of butterhead lettuce you harvest, and when, depends on the variety and on what you grow it for — and it is not something we assert from a name alone. Check a source that describes butterhead lettuce specifically before you pick, and if any part of the plant is known to need cooking or preparation to be safe, follow that guidance.
How do you harvest butterhead lettuce?
Harvest gently with clean scissors or a knife rather than tearing, and take a little at first to see how the plant responds.
How do you store butterhead lettuce after harvesting?
Keep it cool and use it fresh where possible; most home-grown crops lose flavour quickly once picked.
What is the most common butterhead lettuce harvesting mistake?
Assuming every part of butterhead lettuce is edible. For a number of food plants, one part is the crop and another is not safe to eat — confirm which before you harvest.