Overwintering guide
How to overwinter butterhead lettuce
Winter watering
No winter watering needed in open ground. Containers only need water in long dry, frost-free spells.
The mistake that kills butterhead lettuce in winter
Cutting butterhead lettuce hard back in autumn "to tidy up". That removes the growth that shelters the crown, and on some plants removes next season's flower buds entirely.
More butterhead lettuce care
- Overwintering lettuce — the species this cultivar belongs to
- Overwintering butterhead lettuce — our other guide for the same plant
- Full butterhead lettuce care guide
- Butterhead Lettuce temperature range
- How often to water butterhead lettuce
- How to prune butterhead lettuce
- Common butterhead lettuce problems & fixes
- Best plant identifier apps — tested and ranked
Overwintering butterhead lettuce — FAQ
Does butterhead lettuce need to come indoors for winter?
Butterhead Lettuce is hardy to roughly USDA zone 2 — winter lows around -46°C. That means it can stay outside all winter in most temperate gardens. Butterhead Lettuce is properly hardy and overwinters outside without fuss. Tidy away anything dead or diseased, apply a mulch over the crown to steady soil temperatures, and otherwise leave it alone — many hardy plants actually need a cold period to flower and grow well the following year. Save hard pruning for the right season rather than doing it in autumn.
When should I move butterhead lettuce for winter?
Tidy and mulch in late autumn; leave the plant undisturbed until spring.
How often should I water butterhead lettuce in winter?
No winter watering needed in open ground. Containers only need water in long dry, frost-free spells.
What kills butterhead lettuce over winter?
Cutting butterhead lettuce hard back in autumn "to tidy up". That removes the growth that shelters the crown, and on some plants removes next season's flower buds entirely.