Lettuce
Dates below are counted from the average last spring frost or the average first fall frost. Enter a ZIP in the calendar for NOAA 1991–2020 station averages, or pick a zone and use the zone table.
When to plant
Soil and site
Rich, moisture-retentive soil. Shallow roots dry out first — steady water prevents bitterness.
Seedlings
Seed needs light to germinate: press into the surface, barely cover. Transplant at 3–4 true leaves after a week of hardening off.
In the garden
Afternoon shade helps late-summer starts. Bitter or bolting lettuce is almost always heat or drought stress.
Picking
Take outer leaves for a long harvest, or cut whole heads. Frost-tolerant to the mid-20s with a row cover.
Harvest
First harvest is about 45–60 days after transplanting. The picking window often runs about 4 weeks.
Take outer leaves for a long harvest, or cut the whole head before it bolts. Bitterness usually means heat or drought.
Preserving
Lettuce is a fresh crop. It is not in the USDA canning guide, and NCHFP lists lettuce among foods that do not freeze well.
NCHFP lists lettuce with foods that do not freeze well. Eat it fresh.
National Center for Home Food Preservation: Foods that do not freeze well →Gear placeholders
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Dates by zone
These pages turn the same frost offsets into calendar dates for each zone the calendar covers.