Burgundy Boston Heirloom Butterhead Lettuce Seeds

Give your salad garden a rich splash of color with Burgundy Boston. Its burgundy-red outer leaves open around a fresh green interior, creating a loose butterhead rosette with soft, tender leaves and a mild, buttery flavor. Pick a few outer leaves for a sandwich or harvest a whole head for a colorful salad with a light dressing.

Why Grow Burgundy Boston?

• Rich red-and-green color: Burgundy outer foliage contrasts with the green heart; color intensity varies with growing conditions.
• Tender butterhead leaves: Delicate texture and mild flavor suit fresh salads, sandwiches, and garnishes.
• Compact, loose heads: A useful choice for small garden beds and containers with adequate root room and drainage.
• Reported aphid resistance: Seed suppliers report good aphid resistance, but plants still need monitoring for aphids and other pests.
• Open-pollinated heirloom: Grow a traditional non-GMO butterhead and save seed with appropriate isolation and selection.

Planting and Growing

Choose spring or fall for the best cool-season growth. Direct sow in a prepared bed or start indoors 4–6 weeks before your last expected spring frost. Sow shallowly, approximately ⅛–¼ inch deep, and keep the seedbed evenly moist. Harden indoor seedlings off gradually before transplanting.

Thin plants to approximately 8–12 inches apart, allowing room for heads and airflow. For square foot gardening, use 1 plant per sq ft for full-size heads. Choose fertile, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Consistent moisture supports tender growth; afternoon shade can help in warm conditions, but extended heat can still cause bolting and bitterness.

Make small successive sowings rather than planting the entire packet at once. Check the undersides of leaves and growing centers for pests, even where resistance is reported. Avoid overcrowding and waterlogged soil.

Harvest Details

Maturity: Approximately 50–55 days from sowing for heads under favorable conditions; young outer leaves can be picked earlier when large enough to use.
Head: Loose, mounding butterhead with burgundy-red outer leaves and a green interior; often harvested around 6–8 inches across.
Flavor and texture: Mild, buttery flavor with soft, tender leaves.
Best uses: Fresh salads, sandwiches, whole leaves, and garnishes.
Plant type: Heirloom, open-pollinated, non-GMO lettuce grown as a cool-season annual.
Botanical name: Lactuca sativa.
Seeds per packet: Approximately 500+ seeds / 0.7 g, as listed for this packet option; seed counts vary by lot.

Harvest in the cool morning. Pick outer leaves without damaging the growing center, or cut the whole head just above soil level. Butterhead lettuce forms a soft head, so do not wait for iceberg-like firmness. Rinse gently and refrigerate promptly for fresh use.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — heirloom seeds grown without GMOs, selected for your garden.