When to plant lettuce in Texas
Texas’s average last spring frost is March 15, and the first fall frost typically arrives around November 15 — about 245 frost-free days (USDA zones 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a). Lettuce needs 30–60 days to mature, which fits comfortably within Texas's growing season.
Texas covers a wide range of climates, so your exact frost dates may differ from the state average by two weeks or more. For dates tuned to your town, use the calendar generator.
When to plant lettuce in Texas: the short answer
For a spring planting, plant out Feb 22 – Mar 11, with seeds started indoors Feb 8 – Feb 22. Seeds germinate in soil from 35 to 80°F.
Succession sow again in Texas: Mar 13 · Mar 25 · Apr 6 · Apr 18
Spring succession stops before summer heat makes it bolt. Start sowing again in late summer for a fall crop (see the fall window above).
Windows are ~1–2 week bands around each date. Frost dates are a statewide average from NOAA/NCEI normals; your town may differ by two weeks or more. Calendar year 2026.
How to grow lettuce in Texas, step by step
- Start seeds indoors (Feb 8 – Feb 22). Sow seeds ⅛ inch deep in seed-starting mix under bright light. They take 2-10 days to sprout, fastest in soil around 65°F. Harden seedlings off for a week before they go outside.
- Prepare the bed. It needs six or more hours of sun for the best growth, though four to six hours in partial shade is enough and loose soil at least 8 inches deep, with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Dig in compost before planting.
- Plant out (Feb 22 – Mar 11). Space plants about 10 inches apart in rows 14 inches apart. It tolerates a light frost but not a hard freeze. As a cool-season crop it does best before summer heat arrives in Texas.
- Water and feed. Give it steady, even moisture, about an inch of water a week from rain or the hose.
- Watch for pests and problems. Pests: aphids, slugs, snails, cutworm. Diseases and disorders: downy mildew, bottom rot, tipburn (calcium disorder).
- Harvest (from about Mar 31 – Apr 30). Lettuce takes 30-60 days to reach harvest. 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.
Figures come from our crop data; dates use Texas’s average frost dates. More in the full lettuce growing guide.
Lettuce planting dates by USDA zone in Texas
Texas spans USDA zones 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a. Colder zones, usually higher or further inland, have a later last spring frost and an earlier first fall frost than the state average, so the lettuce dates shift with them.
| Zone | Last frost | First frost | Season | Start indoors | Plant lettuce |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 | Oct 15 | 185 days | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 11 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 | Oct 25 | 200 days | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 15 – Apr 1 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 | Nov 5 | 230 days | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Feb 27 – Mar 16 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 | Nov 30 | 280 days | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Jan 30 – Feb 16 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 | Dec 15 | 330 days | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Jan 9 – Jan 26 |
Questions gardeners in Texas ask
When is the best time to plant lettuce in Texas?
Plant lettuce transplants outdoors in Texas between February 22 and March 11. That timing is set by Texas's average last spring frost of March 15; Texas spans several climates, so cooler and higher parts of the state run later.
When should I start lettuce seeds indoors in Texas?
Start seeds indoors between February 8 and February 22, about 4 weeks before the last frost, so the seedlings are ready to plant out from February 22.
Can I plant lettuce in the fall in Texas?
Yes. For a fall crop, sow between September 10 and September 27, so the crop matures in cool weather before Texas's first frost around November 15.
When will lettuce planted in Texas be ready to harvest?
Planted on time, lettuce is usually ready from about March 31 to April 30, 30-60 days after planting.
When is the last frost in Texas?
On average around March 15, with the first fall frost around November 15 - about 245 frost-free days. Your town may differ by two weeks or more.