Growing Lettuce

lactuca sativa : Asteraceae / the daisy family

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

(Best months for growing Lettuce in Australia - temperate 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

Your comments and tips

06 Mar 14, Sue (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
All my latest cos lettuces growth seemed to be stunted. It was a very hot day the day after planting and they looked sick, but 3 weeks on and still very little growth even though they've had a fertilising.
28 Mar 14, janice (Australia - temperate climate)
Maybe try sowing some more seeds now, it was fairly hot earlier in the month. It likes 10-16C.
25 Jan 14, Fran (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I've planted a number of lettuce types and all have grown well, and we've had a few meals from them, until we hit a heat wave recently, 7 days of over 35 degree heat. Now, I've just found out that lettuce goes bitter or bolts in the heat, which is what all varieties have done. Is there anything I can do to save it, or should I just feed it to the chooks and try again?
23 Mar 15, Juanita (Australia - tropical climate)
I would save as many seeds out of your bolting lettuce then feed the rest to your chooks as once lettuce has bolted you can't save it, also when you next plant try using 7.5cm thick aged bagasse/ sugar cane mulch keeps your ground temperature cold enough to stop bolting, never use yard clipping and mulch out of your own compost unless you have a thermometer to ensure it has reached over 65 degrees this kills any nasties and stops the risk of disease in plants. Hope this helps
19 Jun 14, Glen (Australia - tropical climate)
Create a lettuce bed and create a partial shade using shade cloth, I prefer the beige on a roll back 1m above the bed and keep bed moist at all times during hot weather.......
06 Dec 13, Allen Lee (Australia - temperate climate)
Kellie 15Nov. Your squiggly lines in your lettuce leaves may be leaf miner the moth lays egg on the leaf and they hatch burrow into it and feed eternally. They also attack spinach and citrus may also attack otherplants at times to remedy this try using eco oil at rates on direction. This will leave a film of oil (non toxic) on the leaf the moth will be unable to lay eggs (slip off).
26 Nov 13, Sue Crosse (Australia - temperate climate)
Why does my lettuce taste bitter the leaves are soft and they look so good//
27 Nov 13, Elizabeth (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Lettuce starts to taste bitter as the weather warms up. it is the first sign of lettuces bolting (going to seed). Keeping them cool/part shade and watered can stop them going to seed.
15 Nov 13, Kellie (Australia - temperate climate)
My lettuces have silvery/clear squiggly lines on the leaves, almost as though there is something travelling inside the leaves eating all the chlorophyll! Anyone know anything about this?
24 Oct 13, Tiff (Australia - arid climate)
Can anyone tell me the best way to grow lettuce in a dry area (Western NSW). I am considering buying greenhouse planter boxes to keep the moisture in and to put these where they will also get some shade. I haven't grown lettuce before so any advice would be great!
Showing 91 - 100 of 196 comments

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