5 Bibb Lettuce Varieties Perfect for Hydroponics

When it’s time to pick lettuce seeds, I don’t just grab any old pack off the shelf. Hydroponic gardening lets you grow fresher, faster, and tastier greens—but only if you choose the right variety for your system and taste buds.

Bibb lettuce (sometimes called butterhead lettuce) is one of the best picks for hydroponics. It grows fast, looks great, and tastes even better. Plus, it’s forgiving for beginners. Here are five bibb lettuce varieties worth growing in your hydroponic setup.

Comparison Table: Which Bibb Fits Your Setup?

Variety	Flavor Profile	Days to Harvest	Disease/Issue Resistance	Best Hydro System(s)
Buttercrunch	Sweet, crisp “buttery” leaves	50–60	Handles mild heat better than most bibbs	DWC, Kratky, NFT
Burpee Bibb	Very sweet, tender	60–70	Natural brown-tinged edges at maturity (not tip burn)	Kratky, DWC
Rex	Mild, classic butterhead	50–55	Resistant to tip burn & downy mildew; thick leaves	DWC, NFT (indoor/controlled)
Yugoslavian Red	Mild, buttery; showy red-speckled leaves	~55	Performs well in steady temps; cosmetic stunner	Kratky, DWC, Ebb & Flow
Dynamite	Bolder “buttery” flavor	50–60	Noted resistance to blight, thrips, mosaic virus, water molds	DWC, NFT

My Bibb Lettuce Varieties For Hydroponics (What Beginners Should Know)

🥬 1. Buttercrunch

Developed at Cornell, Buttercrunch is the poster child of hydro lettuce: crisp, sweet, and forgiving. It tolerates slightly warmer temps than many bibbs, stores well post-harvest, and thrives in DWC, Kratky, or NFT.

Beginner Tip: If you’re only growing one variety to start with, Buttercrunch is a safe bet. It rarely disappoints.

🥬 2. Burpee Bibb

Marketed as “the sweetest bibb,” Burpee Bibb is tender and compact—great for small systems. It can mature a bit slower. Those brown-tinged edges at maturity are normal coloration, not nutrient issues.

Beginner Tip: Don’t mistake the natural brown-tinged leaf edges for tip burn. It’s just how this variety looks when mature.

🥬 3. Rex

Rex is practically made for hydroponics. Thick leaves resist tearing and help prevent tip burn. It also has notable resistance to downy mildew. Prefers stable indoor conditions; shines in DWC and NFT.

Beginner Tip: If you’ve had trouble with disease or wilt in other varieties, Rex is your comeback kid.

🥬 4. Yugoslavian Red

Want salads that look as good as they taste? Yugoslavian Red delivers speckled red-purple leaves with a mild, buttery flavor and ~55-day maturity.

Fun Bonus: Its colorful leaves make it a hit in mixed salads and farmer’s market displays.

🥬 5. Dynamite

Dynamite brings a bigger flavor pop while still staying tender. It’s recognized for strong resistance to blight, thrips, mosaic virus, and water molds—nice insurance for new growers dialing in their environment.

Beginner Tip: If you want something a little different from the “standard” bibb flavor, Dynamite is worth a try.

What’s Best System To Grow Hydroponic Bibb Lettuce?

The easiest way to grow lettuce is using a NFT hydroponic system, a DWC raft or an ebb and flow system.

The system doesn’t have to be anything fancy. The first time I grow Bibb lettuce was in a small ebb and flow system in my garage, shown below.

Want to know more on hydroponic lettuce? 👉 How To Grow Hydroponic Lettuce Guide

Related Guides

• How to Grow Lettuce Hydroponically
• Choosing Quality Seeds for Hydroponics
• Hydroponic Nutrients: Basics for Beginners

FAQ: Hydroponic Lettuce Growing

What’s the best lettuce variety for first-time hydro growers?

Buttercrunch is the safest bet for beginners—fast, tasty, and forgiving. Rex is also excellent if you’ve battled tip burn or mildew.

How long until bibb lettuce is ready to harvest?

Most bibb varieties are ready in 50–60 days from transplant under steady temps and light. You can harvest outer leaves earlier (“cut-and-come-again”).

Which bibb lettuce grows fastest?

Buttercrunch is one of the quickest to mature, often ready in 5–6 weeks.

Is Buttercrunch the same as bibb?

Buttercrunch is a butterhead (bibb-type) lettuce—so yes, it fits in the bibb family known for soft, buttery leaves.

How do I prevent tip burn in hydro lettuce?

Keep water temps 65–68°F, maintain good airflow, avoid sudden high light/heat, and hold pH ~5.8–6.2 with moderate EC. Varieties like Rex are naturally more tolerant.

Takeaway

Lettuce is a low-risk, high-reward hydro crop. Pick a variety that matches your goals—crunch, color, or extra disease resistance—and you’ll be eating salads before your store-bought greens know what happened.