I was wondering a similar thing with Boston Bibb, but butter lettuce is yummy too.... A couple years ago I saw a trend of slicing the bottom off a head of lettuce and settling it into a bit of dirt--or simply water if you want it nutrition free ;)--in order to grow at least a few more leaves from each plant base. Haven't tried it, but I'm sure you could Google it.

Interesting! Well the butter lettuce at the grocery store comes with all these roots on the bottom, so maybe it would work to just replant the bottom part. Ooh, just found this when I Googled it. Thanks for the idea!! http://birgitkerr.blogspot.com/2012/03/re-growing-your-bought-produce.html

Butterhead lettuce is the generic name for the lettuce you describe. There are many varieties, variously often using names like Boston and Bibb in their names. You can get seeds for them at most any store selling seeds, even the dollar store will sell them. Your garden center will often sell butterhead plants in 4 or 6 packs that you can set out instead of sowing seeds to save time. I don't recommend replanting anything that was packaged for sale at the grocers--if it survives at all, it will immediately 'bolt" (go to seed).

Thank you!

Thanks, I'll check it out!

I raise Skyphos butter head lettuce. You can save the seeds.

Tom Thumb butterhead lettuce has grown very well for me in a cold frame, October through December. Sweet and crunchy, and short so it doesn't get too tall for a low-profile box.

I've had *excellent* luck growing entire heads of lettuce back from a core, even without intact roots. For me, the trick has been to break each leaf off individually, rather than cutting, and leaving just a few of the tiniest, most-inner leaves intact. Just above the joint of each big leaf is a tiny new leaf bud, and those grow pretty quickly. If there aren't any roots, slice a little off the bottom so it's freshly cut and stick it in the ground. You have to keep the soil evenly moist for a good while, but that's the only real hang-up I've had.

Also, if it bolts right away, you'll have lettuce seeds, which is what you were looking for in the first place, right? (:

Cheers