Growing Lettuce

lactuca sativa : Asteraceae / the daisy family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
P P P P P       P P P P

(Best months for growing Lettuce in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • 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
  • Lettuce table-ready
  • Lettuce seedlings

Lettuce offer a range of shapes, sizes and colours but they are all easy to grow.

Choose a variety marked on the seed packet as suitable for the time of year as some do badly in the very hot months.

Try to provide some shade to prevent them 'bolting' to flower and seed in the hottest months.

Sow in rows and use thinnings as small salad greens.

Ideal crop for succession planting.

Lettuce are shallow rooted so water daily in hot or dry weather to prevent bitter flavour. and bolting.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Lettuce

Wash well, spin or shake dry and use in salads and sandwiches

Your comments and tips

19 Aug 24, Caryn (USA - Zone 7b climate)
In zone 7b (NY) lettuce seeds can be planted outdoors Jan-March ? I know that's what the chart says, but just confirming! I always thought March was the earliest. Are there specific varieties that are best that time of year? TY!!
10 Aug 24, Paul Heinzman (USA - Zone 4a climate)
Could you give me a few lettuce varieties that grow well in MN? I got a good crop of Arugula but would like some sweeter varieties. Thanks
18 Jul 24, CANDY (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
CAN I SOW SEEDS NOW IN A POT AS I AM A A BALCONY PLANTER- THANKYOU
04 Jul 24, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Agriculture: Molybdenum deficiency is often only revealed in LOW YIELDS. Mo deficiency is the most widespread deficiency after Zinc & Boron. Excess molybdenum in pastures can give rise to animal health problems (in reality it is the nitrogen - Mo acts as bottle neck, so that plants can't uptake a lot of nitrogen -- in high Mo soils nitrogen uptake can be too high-- Ireland -- maybe investigate Denitrifying bacteria, microorganisms whose action results in the conversion of nitrates in soil to free atmospheric nitrogen - also useable in areas where nitrogen is washing into the lakes, rivers and streams). ********** Sometimes Molybdenum (Mo) deficiency can appear like a nitrogen deficiency ************** - it makes sense since Molybdenum (Mo) is required for plant assimilation of nitrogen (both atmosphere and soil). So you might be applying lots of nitrogen.... in situations where you have a molybdenum deficiency.... then just washing away your nitrogen into local rivers, lakes and streams.************* this will cause health problems in aquatic life ******************* Molybdenum is present in the lithosphere at average levels up to 2·3 mg kg−1 but can increase in concentration (300 mg kg−1) in shales that contain significant organic matter. The sources of high-molybdenum soils are Carboniferous black shales and limestones. Don't worry so much about the numbers - it's enough to know that Carboniferous black shales may contain 150 times more Mo than average (in the lithosphere). Molybdenum was the most abundant trace element present in the soluble and insoluble extractions of the wood-ash. ** also see banana peel compost which are high in molybdenum (Mo). *** Take away -- nitrogen is usually not the problem when you see symptoms of nitrogen deficiency -- it is more likely a Molybdenum deficiency.
06 Aug 24, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
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.
01 May 24, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Yum
24 Nov 23, KCS (USA - Zone 9b climate)
How much sun/shade does lettuce require? Would love to plant in a mostly shaded area of the outside.
05 Dec 23, Faith Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
MOSTLY Shade greens (which is a couple of hours of sun per day): Asian greens (bok choi, pak choi, komatsuna, tatsoi), misuna, kale. mustard greens, arugula AND yes, lettuce... but when you say mostly shade.... and I start to think of what the conditions are like after watering.... wet shade.... and for my zone this means slugs and slugs love lettuce; and for that reason I would probably go with a green other than lettuce -- looking in particular for a firmer, stronger tasting (hotter) green. SOME SEEDS need light to germinate... so you need to start these plants elsewhere and transplant, or perhaps chose a green whose seeds do not need light to germinate.
30 Nov 23, (USA - Zone 3a climate)
Most crops need plenty of sun otherwise they grow small and weak. There are different varieties to plant in summer or winter.
01 Nov 23, Madison (USA - Zone 9b climate)
How much water does Lettuce need when hardening off???
Showing 1 - 10 of 256 comments

Claudie: I find a shallow tray works best (go to the supermarket and get a packet of 4 finger buns the plastic container is ideal) fill with soil, moisten, put the tray back together, put on the HWS check after 3 days. plant out when the second set of leaves appear. Keep moist!! Michelle: Sounds like your lettuce is going to seed. This happens when it is too hot and/or too dry. Jarred: choose cold climate veges! probably too late now for most things in canberra. You could try some peas and lettuce, get some frost blanket/fleece to put over them if it is going to frost o/nite.

- David

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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. GardenGrow 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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