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 - sub-tropical 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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21 Jan 20, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Go out at night and see what is eating the seedlings. Sparrows eat my lettuce the first couple of months of the year. I have a bird trap now. They also eat the heart out of my snow peas certain times of the year. Work out how to put a border around each plant or the whole block of lettuce. Like a 90mm pipe 100mm long and put oil or grease or Vaseline on the outside. Or look up similar things on the internet for slugs, snails etc. Or build a frame and cover with shade cloth.
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20 Aug 19, Graham (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi I'm totally new to any kind of growing and am currently experimenting with a hydroponic setup But having trouble getting lettuce seeds started. Had no problems with previous 3 attempts but this time the seeds are doing nothing. Not sure if its the time of year or something else........ Any advice would be appreciated GD
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21 Aug 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Wait until this present cold weather passes and we have warmer nights. With spring only a week or two away temps should start to rise a bit, then try again. Lettuce need light to germinate. Keep soil moist and use a fine light watering.
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15 Aug 19, Karen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Can you get Butter Lettuce seed in Australia? I'm find it hard to find or is it known by another name
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18 Aug 19, Nicole (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Karen, I recently bought Butter lettuce seeds from my local Bunnings! And have had great crops right through winter, just direct sew into garden and pick young leaves to thin them out. I'm in Perth. Regards Nicole
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16 Aug 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It is called buttercrunch lettuce. Try BOONDIE seeds on the internet.
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19 Aug 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My apologies - I looked up Boondie seeds and they also have butterhead - there may be more. A suggestion - line a Styrofoam box with some paper or shade cloth on the bottom and fill with soil/potting mix/compost and plant the seeds very close - like 100-200 seeds. Water very carefully until they germinate and keep moist. When they grow you can just trim a few off above the heart of the plant and then let them regrow. Just cut enough at a time for a meal or 3.
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30 Jul 19, karen spenser (Australia - temperate climate)
can llettuse grow neer a potato and can you put camicals on it and feed it to your kids
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20 May 18, Heather (Australia - temperate climate)
I’m in the southern highlands and I can’t seem to grow iceberg lettuce??? Any suggestions why
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21 May 18, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
You have indicated temperate and it says plant all year. Cool / Mountain is Sept to May. Do you receive all day sun. They need lots of sun. If still no good suggest you grow another variety.
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To increase the levels of Molybdenum (Mo, also called Molly) in your soils -- wood ash (from a fireplace, firepit, or barbeque) can be incorporated into the soil. Alternatively, Banana peels are an excellent source of Moly. Animal manure tends to (grass/grain/vegetable feeders) tend to have a decent amount of Moly in their manure. If all of these are out of reach, perhaps try incorporating wood chips/bark mulch in your garden. You can make bark chip paths, use the paths, then the following year when the chips are broken down mix them into the soil. OR -- just mix the wood chips (bark, mulch, whatever) directly into the soil. As the wood is breaking down it takes a lot of nitrogen. I would expect to find Moly in leaf mulch - but have not found any reliable sources that have stated this as a fact. If you choose to use chemical forms of Moly remember that this is a TRACE element - VERY little is needed and over application can result in a OTHER problems. Staying organic almost guarantees you will not over apply. If you live in an area where wood burning stoves and fireplaces where common for heating (pre- electric fireplaces and stoves) - and you know people old enough to have been around when wood ash was common in the garden (there was no place else to put it) - they can tell you how amazing the gardens where back then.

- Celeste Archer

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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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