How to Grow Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a versatile cool-season leafy green prized for its crisp texture and mild flavor in salads or sandwiches. Gardeners grow it quickly because it thrives in cooler temperatures and provides a fresh harvest just weeks after sowing.
📷 Wikipedia: LettuceStarting Lettuce: indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 3 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
If starting indoors, move seedlings outdoors once they have developed a few true leaves and the risk of hard frost has passed.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 to encourage healthy root development. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors or start indoors 2 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost date. Press seeds lightly into the soil at a depth of about 1/4 inch. Expect germination within 7 to 10 days once conditions are right.
Space plants 8 to 12 inches apart to ensure proper airflow and head formation. Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, as lettuce has shallow roots that dry out quickly. Apply a light layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds, while feeding lightly if growth seems slow.
Watch for pests like aphids or slugs, which can be managed with hand-picking or organic sprays. Prevent fungal diseases by avoiding overhead watering and ensuring good air circulation between leaves. Harvest outer leaves when they are large enough to eat, or cut the whole head after 45 to 65 days from sowing.
When to Plant Lettuce
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 6 | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | — | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | February – December |
