Growing Lettuce: How to Plant, Protect and Harvest Lettuce

Last Updated on November 14, 2023

Let’s talk growing lettuce! While it’s not necessarily the most thrilling crop of them all, I think lettuce deserves a spot in every garden. It’s fast and easy to grow, has fairly low disease and pest pressure, and who doesn’t love a fresh, crisp homegrown salad? Plus, there are so many beautiful and unique lettuce varieties to grow beyond what you see at the store. So, follow these tips and learn how to grow lettuce successfully.

This guide will cover the ideal temperatures to grow lettuce, how to start lettuce from seed, different varieties, plant spacing, along with sun, soil, water, and fertilizer needs. We’ll also explore ways to protect lettuce from heat or frost to prolong your growing season, as well as the best ways to harvest and store lettuce to make it last!

What’s the best time of year to grow lettuce?

Like most leafy greens, lettuce grows best during spring or fall in most climates. This cool-season crop thrives when temperatures are in the 50s and 60s (F), though some heat-tolerant varieties will also grow well in the low to mid 70’s too. In places with mild winters, you can grow lettuce right through the winter. Find the best time to start lettuce seeds or plant seedlings in your area with our handy planting calendars – they’re available for every zone!

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Will lettuce survive in heat?

Lettuce can tolerate a few warm days here and there (in the 80’s) especially if it cools down at night. But an extreme heat event or prolonged temperatures over 75-80°F will make lettuce “bolt” – or go to flower then seed rather than growing new leaves. The existing leaves will also become increasingly tough and bitter. So, if your lettuce starts to bolt, it will taste best if you harvest it sooner than later! Some lettuce varieties are more forgiving and slow-to-bolt than others.

Pro tip: To extend the lifespan and quality of plants, use shade cloth to keep lettuce cool during warm conditions.

Is lettuce frost hardy?

Yes, mature lettuce plants will survive light frosts – and even a hard freeze or two! However, the harder the frost, the more leaf damage will occur. Frost-damaged lettuce leaves appear thin, dark or discolored, and wilted. They aren’t great to eat, though your chickens or worm bin will like them! Cold temperatures regularly below 45-50°F also makes lettuce grow more slowly.  

Therefore, plan to protect lettuce from frost when possible, especially tender young seedlings. One option is to shelter them with hoops and frost cover. Cut off frost-damaged leaves to make way for fresh healthy regrowth. 

How much sun does lettuce need? Can lettuce grow in shade?

Lettuce grows best when it receives full sun, or at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun per day. However, most varieties of lettuce will tolerate partial shade (4 to 6 hours of sun) and may even benefit from afternoon shade during warm weather. 

How long does lettuce take to grow? 

Lettuce grows very quickly, making it an ideal crop for short growing seasons, as a filler crop between others, or for succession planting many rounds of lettuce over a longer growing season. Most lettuce varieties form mature heads in less than 60 days after planting seed, though you can start harvesting young leaves far sooner – in 30 days or less. 

Lettuce varieties

Romaine, iceberg, redleaf, bibb, buttercrunch, salanova… There are dozens (if not hundreds) of different types of lettuce to grow! Grow lettuce varieties that you like to eat, but also read descriptions to find varieties well-suited to your climate and growing preferences. For instance, we always seek out heat tolerant or bolt-resistant lettuce varieties to help offset our unpredictable springs and warm fall weather. 

Personally, I like lettuce with a fairly open head structure to accommodate cut-and-come-again or perpetual harvesting (explained more in the “harvest” section below). It’s also fun to grow a few different colors! Some of our favorite lettuce varieties include Coastal Star, Nevada, Freckles, Magenta, Red Mist and Muir – all of which are heat tolerant lettuce varieties.

Growing lettuce from seed will give you the most options, though your local nursery should carry several different types to choose from too.

How to grow lettuce from seed

Here are some tips for starting lettuce from seed. If you’re growing lettuce from nursery seedlings instead, skip ahead!

• You can sow lettuce seeds directly outside in your garden, or start seeds indoors and transplant seedlings outside a few weeks after they sprout. I personally like to start lettuce inside so birds and insects can’t go after the tiny vulnerable sprouts. 
  

• Lettuce seeds need light to germinate, so you’ll need to have them under bright light if you’re starting indoors! A sunny window will do in a pinch, though the seedlings may become leggy. I always recommend using a grow light for the best results when starting seeds indoors. 
  

• Lettuce seeds also prefer slightly cooler soil than most other seeds. The ideal soil temperature for lettuce to sprout is 60-75°F, though they’ll sprout in temperatures as low as 40°F (albeit slower). On the other hand, lettuce seeds will actually go dormant at high temperatures (over 85°F+). So, do NOT use a seedling heat mat for lettuce unless you’re starting seeds in an exceptionally cold spot! 
  

• Sow lettuce seeds on the surface of the soil (lightly pressed in) or gently covered with no more than ¼” of light fluffy soil. Remember, they need light to sprout!
  
  
• Outdoors, sow and/or thin lettuce following the spacing recommendations below.
  

• Keep the seeds and top of the soil moist (not soggy) to encourage germination, and then switch to bottom-watering indoor seedlings once they’ve sprouted.
  
  
• Once the lettuce seedlings grow their first set of true leaves, thin them down to just one seedling per cell. I recommend trimming out excess seedlings rather than plucking them out.
  

• Thereafter, follow other common seed-starting best practices, including hardening off indoor-raised seedlings to prevent transplant shock. 

Related guides: Seed Starting 101, How to Thin Seedlings, Fertilizing Seedlings, Grow Lights 101, Hardening Off, and Transplanting Best Practices

How far to space lettuce plants

Lettuce spacing varies depending on the type of lettuce and intended use or size. Most lettuce varieties need at least 6 inches of space between each plant (center to center) to form full heads. Varieties that produce larger heads may prefer up to 8 inches of space, such as romaine or butterhead. Smaller loose leaf lettuces can be planted as close as 4 inches apart, while those intended to be used for baby greens are often scattered or sown in a single dense patch with very little space between plants.

Good spacing is essential for lettuce to thrive and to grow nice dense heads. Crowded plants are in competition for nutrients, airflow, root space and water, and can lead to spindly growth. This applies to lettuce growing in the garden as well as indoor lettuce seedlings – which is why I always recommend thinning seedlings early on! Overcrowded plants are also more prone to disease and pests.

Soil, water and fertilizer for lettuce

Lettuce grows best in soil that is well-draining, loose, and moderately rich in organic matter, such as potting soil or native soil that has been amended with compost and/or worm castings. Lettuce also likes regular water (at least twice per week) and consistently damp (not soggy) soil. We installed automated drip irrigation in all our raised beds. We and the plants both love it!

Lettuce plants have a shallow root systems, so be sure to mulch around them! Mulch will prevent the top few inches of soil from drying out, and also buffer the plant roots from temperature swings. 

Lettuce needs adequate nitrogen to support lush leafy growth, so consider adding a gentle slow-release organic fertilizer to the soil prior to planting. Or, apply dilute liquid seaweed, alfalfa tea, compost tea or fish emulsion after planting/during the growing season. 

Can I grow lettuce in pots?

Yes, lettuce is a fantastic crop for container gardens! With its small stature and shallow root system, lettuce grows very well in pots – including grow bags, wine barrels, plastic pots or terracotta. You can even grow lettuce indoors in pots under grow lights or in a bright sunny windowsill! Choose a container that is at least 6 to 8 inches deep and has adequate drainage holes in the bottom. Wider containers may give you enough space to grow a few lettuce plants per pot.

Potential lettuce pests

The most common lettuce pests include slugs, snails, pillbugs, caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and aphids. However, I find lettuce attracts far fewer insects than kale and other leafy greens! Birds, rabbits, deer, squirrels, and other rodents may also be tempted to nibble on your lettuce. If needed, shielding lettuce with hoops and floating row cover (e.g. insect netting) or individual cloches can be effective at protecting the plants from a variety of pests – especially vulnerable young seedlings. See more options for plant covers here.

Related pest control guides: aphids, caterpillars, slugs and snails

How to harvest lettuce

You can harvest lettuce at any stage, and any way you see fit! Pluck individual small leaves when the plants are still young to enjoy as baby leaf lettuce. If you do that, always make sure to leave several leaves behind to continue to photosynthesize and grow, and never cut the very centermost leaves. Or, you can wait until the plant matures and harvest a full head of lettuce at once. In that case, I suggest cutting it out at the base rather than pulling out the roots. Some varieties will grow back! 

I love to use the cut and come again method to harvest lettuce. Rather than harvesting the entire head, we cut or gently pull off a few of the outermost or oldest leaves from each head as needed (every few days to once per week). That way, we can harvest lettuce from the same plants for many many months. This is also a great way to get a lot of lettuce from just a handful of plants!

The best way to store lettuce

The best way to store fresh lettuce is in the refrigerator in an airtight container, such as a large food storage “tupperware” or glass container with a lid, or in a sealed plastic bag. Add a tiny splash of water inside to help keep things moist. In my experience, lettuce stays good and crisp for over a week this way! 

For the best results, harvest homegrown lettuce when the plants are perky and it’s cool outside (such as first thing in the morning or late evening) and then get it into the refrigerator as quickly as possible to prevent wilting.  

And that’s how to grow lettuce.

I hope you feel excited and empowered to grow some gorgeous lettuce of your own now. When we first began gardening, lettuce wasn’t on the top of our priority list for some reason. Now, I can’t imagine our cool season garden without it! Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. If you found this information to be useful, please consider pinning or sharing this post.

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