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When to plant lettuce
Plant lettuce 1–4 weeks before the last spring frost in spring, or 5–8 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. Wait until the soil is at least 40°F. That works out to zone 5b (early April to late April), zone 7a (mid March to early April) and zone 9a (early February to late February).
Lettuce planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall | lettuce ready from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 1 – Aug 22 | May 28 |
| 4b | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 4 – Aug 25 | May 26 |
| 5a | Apr 13 – May 4 | Aug 6 – Aug 27 | May 24 |
| 5b | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Aug 13 – Sep 3 | May 18 |
| 6a | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 20 – Sep 10 | May 12 |
| 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 24 – Sep 14 | May 6 |
| 7a | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 30 – Sep 20 | Apr 28 |
| 7b | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Sep 6 – Sep 27 | Apr 18 |
| 8a | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Sep 12 – Oct 3 | Apr 8 |
| 8b | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 20 – Oct 11 | Mar 29 |
| 9a | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Oct 1 – Oct 22 | Mar 15 |
| 9b | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Oct 15 – Nov 5 | Feb 17 |
How to plant lettuce
| Plant as | seeds outdoors or transplants |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 40°F or warmer |
| Depth | 1/8–1/4 in |
| Spacing | 8–12 in (heads) or 4 in (leaf) |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Time to harvest | 30–70 days |
| Start indoors | 4–6 weeks before the last frost (zone 6a: Mar 19 – Apr 2; zone 8a: Feb 13 – Feb 27) |
Lettuce seed needs light to germinate, so barely cover it.
It turns bitter and bolts in heat; grow it in spring and fall.
Sow small amounts every 2 weeks rather than one big planting.
When to harvest lettuce
Cut leaf lettuce when leaves are 4 inches long; harvest heads when firm. Pick in the morning for crisp leaves.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon