How to grow lettuce
Lactuca sativa · Asteraceae · Vegetable
When to plant lettuce: the short answer
Start seeds indoors about 4 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 2 weeks before it; sow outdoors about 3 weeks before the last frost; for a fall crop, sow about 8 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 35 to 80°F, fastest near 65°F.
Cold winters (zone 5): sow Apr 4 – Apr 23, or sow Jul 31 – Aug 17 for a fall crop. Mild winters (zone 9): sow Sep 25 – Oct 12 for fall and winter harvests; the spring window (Jan 25 – Feb 13) closes before the summer heat. Skip the hottest months for lettuce. See every zone.
Lettuce is a cool-season vegetable in the Asteraceae family, grown either from a direct sowing or from transplants. It wants full sun, though it tolerates a little afternoon shade in hot regions and consistent moisture — it resents drying out. From sowing to first pick is about 30–60 days. It shrugs off a light frost but a hard freeze will damage it.
Grower’s note: Seed needs light - barely cover it. Will not germinate above ~80 F soil. Loose-leaf types give the fastest, most forgiving cut-and-come-again harvest.
Sowing
Sow barely covered — the seed needs light to germinate, into soil between 35–80°F — germination is quickest near 65°F. It comes up fast (2–10 days). For an early crop, start seed indoors about 4 weeks before your last spring frost and grow it under bright light.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 10″ along the row with roughly 14″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 4 per square foot. Allow at least 8″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 6″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
As a cool-season crop, lettuce does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. A second sowing in late summer, timed to mature as the weather cools, is usually the better crop of the year — though a hard freeze will end it.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long lettuce takes to grow
From sowing to first harvest takes roughly 30-60 days (4-9 weeks), with seedlings appearing after 2-10 days in soil around 65°F.
When to plant lettuce
When to plant lettuce by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Fall or second sowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Apr 19 – May 8 | Jul 11 – Jul 28 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Apr 14 – May 3 | Jul 21 – Aug 7 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Apr 4 – Apr 23 | Jul 31 – Aug 17 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Mar 20 – Apr 8 | Aug 10 – Aug 27 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 10 – Mar 29 | Aug 20 – Sep 6 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Feb 22 – Mar 13 | Aug 31 – Sep 17 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Jan 25 – Feb 13 | Sep 25 – Oct 12 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Jan 4 – Jan 23 | Oct 10 – Oct 27 |
Or browse lettuce planting dates for every state as static pages.
Companions
Carrot, Radish, Cucumber, Onion, strawberry
Broccoli, Cabbage
Common problems
Pests: aphids, slugs, snails, cutworm.
Diseases & disorders: downy mildew, bottom rot, tipburn (calcium disorder).
Same family (Asteraceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant lettuce?
Start seeds indoors about 4 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 2 weeks before it; sow outdoors about 3 weeks before the last frost; for a fall crop, sow about 8 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 35 to 80°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long does lettuce take to grow?
About 30-60 days from sowing to the first harvest. Seeds germinate in 2-10 days, fastest in soil around 65°F.
How much sun does lettuce need?
It needs six or more hours of sun for the best growth, though four to six hours in partial shade is enough.
What soil pH does lettuce need?
A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant lettuce?
Space plants about 10 inches apart in rows 14 inches apart, or 4 per square foot in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about ⅛ inch deep.
Can I grow lettuce in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 6 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.