Red Butterleaf

This tasty lettuce variety grows quickly, shoots very late, and the heads get an enormous amount of firm leaves that are all the same size.

Species name: Salanova Red Butter lettuce (red)
Family: leaf
Quantity per patch: 1
Height: 15 to 25 cm (front or middle row)
Pre-sowing time: March - August
Sowing depth: 0.5 to 1 cm
Germination time: between 5 and 18°C ​​in 2 to 8 days
Time to harvest: from 6-7 weeks
Sunlight: can grow in the sun as well as in the shade

Salanova varieties are specially bred to yield extra harvest per head, but also to sprout faster and grow better than regular lettuce.

These seeds have already been pre-germinated, which makes them vulnerable. To protect them, they are coated in a layer of clay. That's why they are expensive, but every head of lettuce will yield you loads of greens for a long time.

Plus, slugs leave red lettuce alone much more than green ones, and the color looks nice on your plate 🙂

You will receive 12 clay pellets, with one seed in each pellet. Therefore, please be careful when sowing.

Yes, just like other lettuce varieties, it contains a good amount of vitamin A, as well as some B11, C, iron, and potassium. It also has some fiber, which supports healthy digestion.

But red lettuce has another advantage: the pigments that give it its red or purple color are antioxidants. These can help fight free radicals, reduce inflammation, and may even contribute to better heart health.

Besides the seeds, for pre-sowing you'll need this:

If you're planting the seedling outside, you'll need this:

The Makkelijke Moestuin app explains step-by-step how to sow, grow, and harvest it:

Red Butter leaf lettuce takes about six to seven weeks to grow from a seed into a plant you can harvest for the first time.

Especially in the first few weeks, the little plant is quite vulnerable to bad weather and pests like slugs. That's why you start it indoors and plant the grown seedling in your bed about 4 weeks later.

Another advantage of pre-sowing is that you can make optimal use of your squares this way. Because in those four weeks, you can have something else growing there first.

Pre-sowing works best in small air pots with MM pre-sowing mix. This way, they don't take up too much space and get just enough nutrients for the initial growth.

(If you don't want to pre-sow, you can also sow directly in your bed starting in April. You do need to protect your seedling well against unfavorable weather and pests.)

As soon as you see the seedling sprout, remove the plastic wrap. From then on, keep the pot in full light but preferably not warmer than about 60°F. A windowsill in an unheated room or greenhouse is ideal.

Rotate it a quarter turn every day to prevent it from growing crooked, and keep the mix moist.

3 to 4 weeks later, let the plant get used to the outdoor air first, and then transfer it to a section in your outdoor box.

Taking care of red Butter leaf lettuce isn't a big deal and mainly involves keeping the mix moist.

About 2 weeks later, you can start harvesting the first leaves.

De verzorging van Rode Botersla stelt niet veel voor en komt neer op het vochtig houden van de mix.

Een week of 2 verder kun je dan beginnen met het oogsten van het eerste blad.

Van deze pluksla oogst je het blad, niet de hele plant ineens. Pluk wat van het buitenste blad en laat het midden staan. 

Eventually, the head gets pretty big and fills the whole patch.

If you keep harvesting the outer leaves - and not the whole plant at once - the plant will keep growing from the inside, and you can keep harvesting for quite a few weeks.

Tijdens de laatste levels blijf je het blad van de rode Botersla oogsten, net zolang tot je het blad wat minder lekker gaat vinden om rauw in salades te eten.

Deze soort schiet niet snel in bloei. Maar omdat het blad van jongere plantjes veel lekkerder en malser is, kun je ze beter al veel eerder helemaal weg oogsten.

Als laatste maak je het vak of je MM-mini weer klaar voor de volgende groente.

The name says it all: use the leafs as lettuce. They are also very tasty in smoothies.

Start harvesting when the leaves are about 10 cm. Then the leaves are still very tender: great for salads. But even if the leaf is already a bit bigger, it remains tasty.

Only when the plants are older than three months do the leaves become somewhat stiffer and a bit bitter. Then use it for a stew or for stir-frying. Or for a nice soup 😀

Het is een lekkere en makkelijke groente om te telen, je kunt er lang van oogsten, en het blad ziet er fantastisch uit. En zet je regelmatig een vers jong plantje in je bak, dan geniet je vanaf half april t/m oktober van heerlijke pluksla.

En met onze materialen + app maken het bijna onmogelijk om te falen 😀

Succes!