VegetableLettuce
Kagraner Sommer Lettuce
This German heirloom butterhead lettuce brings old-world resilience to modern gardens with its remarkable heat tolerance and slow-bolting nature. Kagraner Sommer forms loose heads of tender, pale green leaves that reach 5-10 inches tall, ready to harvest in 50-55 days across zones 2-10. Unlike many butterheads that struggle in summer heat, this variety maintains its quality through midsummer, making it perfect for continuous succession planting throughout the growing season.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Growth Stats
10 in
Height
Spacing
12
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
—
Zones
2-10
Size
10in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
Kagraner Sommer stands apart from other butterhead varieties with its exceptional heat tolerance and slow-bolting characteristics, allowing gardeners to enjoy fresh lettuce even during summer's peak. The loose heads of tender, pale green leaves offer the classic buttery texture butterheads are prized for, while the variety's compact 5-10 inch stature makes it ideal for raised beds and containers. Its German heritage brings proven reliability, and the ability to harvest leaves individually or cut entire heads gives gardeners flexibility in their harvest approach.
Common Uses
The tender leaves with their signature buttery texture and mild flavor excel in fresh salads where their delicate nature can shine. They make an excellent addition to sandwiches and burgers, providing a soft contrast to firmer ingredients. The leaves can be harvested individually for continuous use or the entire head can be cut for a substantial salad base, making it versatile for both daily harvesting and meal preparation.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before transplanting, sowing 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep in finely worked soil. Lettuce seeds require light exposure for proper germination, so avoid burying them too deeply.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings to the garden when they're well-established, spacing them 12 inches apart in rows that are 18 inches to 1.5 feet apart in full sun locations.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds in cool early spring weather in finely worked soil, planting 1/4 inch deep and 2 inches apart in rows 6-8 inches apart, then cover lightly and keep evenly moist.
Harvesting
Harvest leaves individually for continuous production throughout the growing season, or cut the entire head just above the soil surface when fully mature at 5-10 inches tall. When cutting whole heads, leave about 1 inch of stem above soil level to encourage regrowth. The leaves are ready when they form loose heads with the characteristic pale green color and tender texture.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Lactuca sativa
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Lactuca
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“Kagraner Sommer traces its roots to Germany, where it was developed as a summer-hardy butterhead lettuce capable of withstanding heat that would cause other varieties to bolt prematurely. This heirloom variety represents the German tradition of breeding vegetables for reliability and extended harvest windows, qualities that made it valuable to both home gardeners and market producers who needed consistent lettuce production through the warmer months.”