Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a cool-season leafy green loved for its crisp texture and mild flavor. It’s relatively easy to grow, doesn’t require a lot of space, and gives fast returns. Perfect for mixed beds, containers, or as a “fill” crop between slower growers.
Types & Varieties
-
Leaf / Looseleaf — no firm head; you harvest individual outer leaves.
-
Romaine / Cos — upright plants with firmer midribs.
-
Butterhead / Bibb — soft, loose heads with tender leaves.
-
Crisphead / Iceberg (more challenging in warm climates).
Choose varieties suited to your growing season (cool vs warmer tolerance).
Planting & Timing
Lettuce is a cool weather crop — ideally planted in early spring or fall.
In spring: sow seeds 2–4 weeks before the last expected frost.
In fall: plant ~6-8 weeks before the first expected frost.
Soil temperature for germination: approx. 45–65°F (7–18 °C).
Lettuce seeds are shallow-sown (¼ inch or less) — light helps germination.
Soil & Site
-
Sunlight: full sun is ideal, but lettuce tolerates partial shade, especially in warmer seasons.
-
Soil: loose, well-drained, rich in organic matter (compost).
-
pH: roughly 6.0 to 7.0 is ideal.
-
Use mulch to retain moisture, keep soil cool, and suppress weeds.
Care & Maintenance
Watering: keep soil consistently moist (lettuce has shallow roots). Avoid letting soil dry out.
Thinning: once seedlings emerge, thin plants so they have enough space to grow to full form (spacing varies by type).
Feeding: light fertilization during growth (when using organic compost or balanced feed) to support leaf growth.
Shade / Protection: in hot weather, provide partial shade or use shade cloth to delay bolting.
Succession planting: sow small amounts every 2–3 weeks so you have a continuous harvest.
Preventing Bolting & Bitterness
Bolting (flower stalk formation) occurs when days grow long or temperatures rise, causing leaves to become bitter.
To delay bolting: choose heat-tolerant varieties, plant in cooler periods, water well, use shade, mulch.
Harvesting & Storage
Leaf-type: pick outer leaves as needed (“cut-and-come-again”) so the plant continues producing.
Heading types: harvest the head whole when mature by cutting at soil level.
Best time to harvest: early morning when leaves are crisp.
Store unwashed in the fridge in a plastic bag with some ventilation; wash just before using.
Common Pests & Diseases / Challenges
Pests: aphids, slugs, snails, leaf miners, cutworms.
Diseases: fungal leaf spots, damping off in seedlings, rot under waterlogged soil.
Use good spacing and airflow, avoid overhead watering, rotate crops.
Companion planting: onions, chives, and garlic are good neighbors (repel aphids). Avoid planting near fennel, certain brassicas, parsley which may inhibit lettuce.
Tips & Tricks (Farm Wisdom)
Use mix of lettuce types (leaf, romaine, butterhead) in same bed to extend harvest season.
Interplant lettuce between taller crops (tomatoes, beans) — they get some shade in hotter hours.
Use floating row covers or shade cloth to protect from extreme heat or pests.
Keep variety trials so you know which lettuce types perform best in your local microclimate.