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 8°C and 27°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 20 - 30 cm 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
  • Lettuce table-ready
  • Lettuce seedlings

Lettuce offer a range of shapes, sizes and colours but they are all easy to grow.

Choose a variety marked on the seed packet as suitable for the time of year as some do badly in the very hot months.

Try to provide some shade to prevent them 'bolting' to flower and seed in the hottest months.

Sow in rows and use thinnings as small salad greens.

Ideal crop for succession planting.

Lettuce are shallow rooted so water daily in hot or dry weather to prevent bitter flavour. and bolting.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Lettuce

Wash well, spin or shake dry and use in salads and sandwiches

Your comments and tips

12 Jul 14, sherron hardin (USA - Zone 5a climate)
I planted within the time frame as your chat suggested. My lettuce has gotten bitter as it has grown. I have it in full sun. I don't know if that is the reason but it would seem on the second growing it became a little bitter and gets worse as it grows. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help
03 Jan 15, Keren (USA - Zone 7b climate)
Lettuce gets bitter if it's too hot and/or when it bolts. Lettuce is ideal is cool temps, and if grown in hot weather does better in the shade or at least partial shade. Full sun in cool weather is fine. Also, too little water causes butter lettuce. Make sure you are either harvesting the plant all at once, or you pick he outer leaves on a consistent schedule. Picking leaves inconsistently can also cause lettuce to bolt.
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 .
04 Mar 18, Lonnie (USA - Zone 6b climate)
Planting lettuce
25 Nov 19, william rowe (USA - Zone 9b climate)
When is the optimal time to grow romaine lettuce in 9B, Ocala,Fl
27 Oct 23, Nancy (USA - Zone 9b climate)
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.
17 Jun 21, Harry C Carter (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Can I grow red leaf lettuce in zone 10 A (Cape Coral Florida)?
21 Jun 21, Colleen (USA - Zone 10b climate)
Yes you can, but depending on how hot it gets where you are, you should choose a heat-tolerant variety or it will bolt too quickly. I recommend the red varieties of summer crisp Batavian lettuce. You should be able to get them at Swallowtail Gardens online if they haven't sold out for the season.
22 Sep 21, Ana Maria (USA - Zone 10b climate)
Is Sept 25th to early to start fall Lettuce in my zone 10b? San Felipe, baja, north.
26 Sep 21, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Lettuce won't germinate if the soil temperature is too high, but if you can start them somewhere shady they might do ok.
Showing 1 - 10 of 20 comments

Lettuce gets bitter if it's too hot and/or when it bolts. Lettuce is ideal is cool temps, and if grown in hot weather does better in the shade or at least partial shade. Full sun in cool weather is fine. Also, too little water causes butter lettuce. Make sure you are either harvesting the plant all at once, or you pick he outer leaves on a consistent schedule. Picking leaves inconsistently can also cause lettuce to bolt.

- Keren

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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