Growing Lettuce

lactuca sativa : Asteraceae / the daisy family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S                  
      T T              
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Lettuce in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden, or start in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks.. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 81°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 8-12 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots, Onions, Strawberries, Beets, Brassicas, Radish, Marigold, Borage, Chervil, Florence fennel, leeks.
  • Avoid growing close to: Parsley, Celery

Your comments and tips

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05 Sep 18, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Andrew - I believe Wombok is Chinese 'cabbage' and that: 1. there are different types of Wombok 2. Cabbage is a brassica Is lettuce a brassica? I thought not but I could be wrong. - Jane
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04 Jun 18, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
This is the page you need www.gardenate.com/plant/Chinese%2Bcabbage
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04 Apr 18, Eugenia Wen (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a question is that my letuce will not grow and it always is dying I always follow the step of growning a good letucd but is always dies please help Eugenia
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05 Sep 18, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Eugenia - What I have found (so far) is that older types of lettuce have grown better where I am where-as the softer leaf ones struggle. A purple coloured one died. I am trying butter crunch, and all seasons lettuce at present although our climates are different. I have drought. You have heavy rains. Not sure any of this will help. You could try different types of lettuce and see what happens.
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04 Mar 18, Lonnie (USA - Zone 6b climate)
Planting lettuce
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12 Feb 18, zuelly mbhele (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
i would love to know if no till method of planting would be efficient in the growing of lettuce.
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18 Jan 18, Doug (USA - Zone 5b climate)
Planting lettuce indoors and will transplant outdoors after last frost in May. Keeping some of the plants indoors and will move to larger containers before the roots bind up. My starting mix will need added organic fertilizer after the real leaves are put on and grow light intensity needs to be increased somewhat for indoor food production. If this experiment works, I may continue growing through next winter. As for my outdoor lettuce, last summer I managed to get several cuttings. This year I will be planting on the north side of pole beans so that when the beans are tall and the summer heat comes on, my hope is the shade will increase my lettuce yields for a longer period of time .
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15 Oct 17, Garvin Johny (USA - Zone 11b climate)
I'm growing COS lettuce in the Caribbean where it hot and humid most of the year but according to Gardenate lettuce is not suitable for my climate.
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15 Oct 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
"The Caribbean's littlest islands follow a typically Caribbean weather pattern, with December to April the peak months (drier, cooler, less humid) – and September to October the most prolific for hurricanes, with rains starting in June". Dec to April might be the time to grow things - drier cooler less humid.
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15 Oct 17, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Gardenate is a 'guide' not hard and fast rules. Your microclimate obviously suits cos lettuce. By the way, we have not included inforamtion for the Caribbean because we do not have enough information about the climate.
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Showing 61 - 70 of 251 comments
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I grew romaine last year in the Phoenix Valley (9B). I think I waited until December to sow the seeds. We got a really nice crop of it... but last winter it seemed to last much longer than normal, it was still very chilly in Feb. last year (low 60's), when generally we get into the mid 70's then. You could try starting indoors.

- Nancy

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