Learning the secrets of how to grow lettuce all year will let you harvest delicious, nutritious greens. Our guide explains how to do it!
We all eat it, but have you wondered how to grow lettuce? There’s a reason that lettuce is one of the most popular plants to grow. Lettuce is so easy, packed with nutrients, and absolutely delicious, so it’s no surprise we all love to grow this versatile green. You can grow lettuce in almost any location in the garden – straight in the soil, on the windowsill, or even between your flowers. With a good focus on gardening basics like proper water, shade, and planting in succession, growing your own lettuce can provide a constant harvest from your garden for the entire year.​ Let’s explore the diversity of lettuce types and find the perfect variety for you!
Planting Lettuce
Getting your lettuce off to a good start is the best way to ensure you’ll have an abundant crop. Here’s exactly how to do it! As lettuce is a cool-weather crop, it’s important to time when you begin planting lettuce to fit within those cooler temperatures. Lettuce seeds will not germinate at soil temperatures above 80 degrees. In some areas, you may be able to grow lettuce year-round, but in most locations, you will want to plant your lettuce seeds as soon as the ground is able to be worked. You can start growing lettuce plants in advance, 4-6 weeks prior to the final frost, and transplant them out once the ground is able to be worked. Plant lettuce seeds in succession every 2 weeks to ensure you grow lettuce and have a consistent crop throughout the growing season. As the weather warms up, switch to more heat-resistant varieties of lettuce. When the summer heat is starting to subside, you can get another crop of lettuce in. Be sure that the soil temperature has dropped below 80 degrees, and plant lettuce seeds. If you’re in an area that doesn’t get heavy freezing conditions, your growing season can continue throughout a lot of the winter, too! Lettuce does extremely well in raised bed gardens, but while it tolerate spring and fall sun, it needs protection from summer’s harsh rays. If you plan on trying to grow lettuce seeds into the hot weather months of the year, pick a shady portion of your yard in which to grow lettuce. This will protect it from the elements.
You can grow lettuce seeds directly in ground-level garden beds, but if you do that, be sure to keep a watchful eye out, as slugs and snails are very happy to eat all your young crops and lettuce seedlings! To plant lettuce seeds, you first need to ensure your soil is prepared. It should be loose and well-draining, and you will want to make sure it’s well broken up. Large clods of soil can slow down germination and make it hard to grow lettuce. Amend your soil with compost or other soil nutrients about a week prior to planting lettuce for best success.
Direct sow your lettuce seeds 1/4″ to 1/2″ under the surface. You can broadcast lettuce seeds for a larger area, or you can plant lettuce in rows, depending on your preference. If you broadcast lettuce seed, you will need to use a rake to bury the seed 1/4″ to 1/2″ under the soil’s surface. As the lettuce seeds germinate and lettuce plants begin to come up, thin them according to their type. Looseleaf lettuces should be spaced about 3-4″ apart. Cos or other loose-headed lettuce varieties should be spaced 8″ apart, and firm types should be 16″ apart. Once your lettuce seeds are planted, water them in lightly and regularly water them every few days until germination. Sow every 2-3 weeks for a continuous way to grow lettuce and harvest lettuce throughout the season.