How to Grow Lettuce

Did you know that it’s super easy to grow lettuce? The seeds are inexpensive which means you can grow a head of lettuce for just a few pennies. And they’re so much fresher than what you find in grocery stores.

Latin Name: Lactuca sativa
Plant Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Cool-season crop

Did You Know?

Doesn’t it seem crazy that lettuce is a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae)? Its Latin genus (Lactuca) refers to the milky sap seen when the leaves or stems are snapped. Lettuce originated in the Middle East, was cultivated in Egypt where they taught Greeks how to grow it. Romans later brought lettuce to Western Europe and it soon spread in popularity around the world.

Plant Seeds or Seedlings? Sow seeds directly in the garden or start them indoors about 3 weeks prior to transplanting them into the garden.

When: In early spring as soon as the ground can be worked.

Days to Germination: 7 to 14 days

Depth to Sow: 1/4 inch

Spacing: 2 inches apart. Gradually thin seedlings to 12 inches apart. Proper spacing is important to make it more difficult for slugs to go from one plant to the next. Space rows 10 to 12 inches apart.

Days to Maturity: 40 to 65

Cultural Information: The most difficult part of growing lettuce is choosing from the different types: butterhead, crisphead, looseleaf and Romaine. Then trying to choose from the amazing selection of cultivars available. Plants require regular watering and prefer the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. They will bolt to seed when summer temperatures rise, causing the leaves to turn bitter.

Birds think lettuce leaves are delicious. If they are a problem in your garden, cover the bed with netting to protect the plants.

Susan’s Picks: ‘Bauer’, ‘Buttercrunch’, ‘Flashy Trout Back’, ‘Lolla Rossa’, ‘Outredgeous’, ‘Red Sails’, ‘Rouge d’Hiver’

Potential Insect Problems: Slugs

When to Harvest:

Pick leaves when they are young and tender, and harvest individual leaves rather than entire plants. Lettuce plants will continue to produce until the weather heats up.

How to Use:

Make wonderful salads by varying the types of lettuces. They also make a nice addition to sandwiches.

Back to Vegetable Grow Guide Chart

Copyright: Susan Mulvihill, Susan’s in the Garden, SusansintheGarden.com.