When it’s time to get lettuce seeds, I don’t just grab any old pack off the shelf. To maximize the potential of both growth and taste, you should choose a variety that is best suited for your hydroponic system, the environment it’s in, and the taste you’re going for. Bibb lettuce is one of my favorite types of lettuce. It has great taste, it sells well, and it looks great. Here are 5 types of bibb lettuce varieties I would recommend you grow.
Butter Crunch Lettuce
This variety was developed by Cornell University. In my opinion, Butter Crunch is a must grow; there’s a reason why it’s one of the most grown lettuce varieties grown hydroponically. Its “butter” leaves are crisp, store well and it’s known for its delicious flavor.
Burpee Bibb Lettuce
This lettuce is said to be “The sweetest bibb lettuce ever!” by Burpee. I don’t know if that’s really measurable, but it sure has a great flavor! This variety takes a little longer to mature compared to others. *Tip- I thought I was having a trouble with some tip burn but realized after reading more the end of the leaves commonly are tinged brown.
Rex Lettuce
This lettuce variety is not recommended to be outdoors but is great for indoor hydroponics. Rex lettuce was pretty much made for hydroponic growing. Its thick leaves are tolerant to tip burn and have a high resistance to mildew.
Yugoslavian Red Lettuce
This lettuce variety not only tastes good but looks amazing. This bibb lettuce has red to purple-spotted throughout its leaves. It’s has a mild buttery taste and ready for harvest in only 55 days.
To learn more about growing hydroponic lettuce, check out my post on how I grew hydroponic lettuce in my garage.
Lettuce is a great starter plant for beginners and the staple of many gardens. It grows fast, is resilient, and can be harvested multiple times. Take the time to pick out your seeds and get a quality lettuce variety to get the most out of your garden.
June 4, 2020 at 8:54 am
I am new to hydroponics. I have been an organic gardener for years. Given the current health and political issues, sustainability and food security is a real and present issue. I look forward to utilizing your wisdom and experience as I establish my new business model. I am health care (RN) provider with a degree in Community Health and Education.
June 4, 2020 at 9:56 pm
Thanks for stopping by Wendy! Glad you found the information helpful. Let me know if I can be of any assistance!
February 19, 2021 at 12:19 pm
My hydroponic system seems to work well but some of the plants have root rot with very dark roots while other plants have beautiful white roots. The temps here have been very cold and the system is in my shop. I have a heater that blows and keeps the temps in the 40s to 50s but I think this is too cold for these plants. I cannot afford to run the torpedo heater all the time as it is very costly. What can I do to save the root rot plants. Thanks.
February 25, 2021 at 8:07 pm
Hey James, what kind of system and is there enough oxygen being provided to the root system? You want to try to keep the water at least around 65 so you may look into a water heater. I’m guessing you’re just growing leafy greens? They can grow well in the upper 40’s to middle 50’s? It may be a good idea to remove your plants with the root rot in case it’s bacterial.