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| Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program
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'Tom Thumb' Lettuce |
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| Sub-Category: |
Butterhead (Bibb/Boston)
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| Sub-Category 2: |
| | Description: |
Butterhead (bibb/Boston) type. Compact, 5- to 7-inch heads with dark-green outer and creamy-white inner leaves. Very fast to head. Heat and bolting tolerant.
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| Days To Maturity: |
46-47
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| Seed Sources: |
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| Rating Summary |
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Overall: (5.0 Stars)
Taste: (4.9 Stars)
Yield: (4.0 Stars)
Ease/Reliability: (4.6 Stars) |
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| Reviews |
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Login to share your Review of Tom Thumb.
Number of Reviews: 7
KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease
Reviewed on 04/13/2017 by
TheFluffyOne
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Kane, Illinois, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| Tom Thumb is perhaps, my favorite overall lettuce. It is slow to bolt, tender and tasty, one tat can be grown almost year round. I think regular bibb is slightly tastier, a bit of a cleaner taste and more tender, but it bolts a bit quicker, and can get bitter. This one is a standout from many perspectives. It is also is less cold tolerant than some variates,if you overwinter your plants for an early spring kick-off. . |
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Reviewed on 10/06/2016 by
Freebird
- An intermediate gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Oneida, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| I am primarily a container gardener. I grew TT lettuce in an Earthbox on wheels with excellent results. Growing medium was ProMix with purchased worm castings added. I sowed it by the scatter method by hand, barely covering with dry ProMix and gentle sprinkler watering afterward. I did not do much heavy thinning for fear of disturbing the tender seedlings. The weaker ones died off, leaving the stronger ones to grow as they wished. It grew profusely in spite of the crowding. I cut the outer leaves off for salads, leaving the core intact. I had so much I gave a lot away. I prefer this to the leaf lettuce mixes I\'ve attempted in an Earthbox. It naturally spreads its outer leaves between each plant, making a nice tight growth pattern. The taste was tremendous. I did a late summer sowing in the Earthbox, so I should have lettuce for quite a while. I\'ll move it inside an unheated enclosed porch when the night temps get to frost possibility levels in mid to late October. The wheeled Earthboxes make it easy to move back outdoors during the daytime for better sunlight exposure. |
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Reviewed on 10/02/2011 by
Ferdzy
- An intermediate gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Ontario, Canada
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| Charming little heads of soft lettuce - a single head is a serving, so plant them fairly close together. They are delicious, slow-bolting and reliable, not to mention really cute. They are the only lettuce that I have found to be edible even once it starts to bolt. I should note that we have rather sandy, acidic soil - most lettuces do not like it, but Tom Thumb has done well for us. |
| | | 2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.
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Reviewed on 05/08/2008 by
alang
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
 Yield
Ease
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Onondaga, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| I've grown Tom Thumb for probably 5 or 6 years now. The results vary with the spring weather - some years a great crop and other years hardly any harvest. In an attempt to overcome the seasonal problem I've started 15 plants in Jiffy 7 discs this year. They transplanted into the garden well and are way ahead of the soil sown Tom Thumbs so I should at least get 15 good heads this year. This is the best home garden variety of lettuce in my opinion, and I've tried a number of varieties over many years. |
| | | 1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.
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Reviewed on 01/07/2007 by
FlipTX
- An intermediate gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Harris, Texas, United States
Frost Free Season: More than 203 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| I rarely buy butterhead lettuce because it tends to be expensive and the heads usually look a little worse for the wear. Growing Tom Thumb has proved very rewarding, as I'm able to harvest perfect heads fresh from the garden. It was slower than the DTM listed here, but that may be because I grew it in fall/winter. |
| | | 1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.
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Reviewed on 01/03/2007 by
beanser
- An intermediate gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Ohio, West Virginia, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| easy to grow nice heads for single salads. work great in containers. This was a very tasty variety. |
| | | 2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.
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Reviewed on 01/07/2005 by
Helen
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Cattaraugus, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| best tasting butterhead I have tried. Yield could be better. could detect no bitterness at any stage of growth. |
| | | 2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.
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Cornell Garden Based Learning, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Horticulture Section
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