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How to plant lettuce from seeds


A Guide to Growing & Harvesting Lettuce

Are you ready to learn how to plant lettuce? This popular salad green is one of the easiest crops to grow in garden beds and containers and is ideal for spring and autumn harvesting. Plus, it’s a speedy crop with baby greens ready to pick around a month from seeding and full heads in two months or less.

In our family, we eat a lot of salads and if you’re buying lettuce at the supermarket, the cost quickly adds up. Growing your own lettuce is an easy way to save on grocery bills and enjoy months of homegrown organic greens. 

Lettuce is a cool season vegetable that thrives in the spring or fall garden.

Types of lettuce

There are many types of lettuce you can plant. I’m a big fan of leaf lettuce because it grows so quickly and you can harvest from each plant for weeks, but there are a lot of varieties available in seed catalogs and on seed racks:

There are many different types of lettuce to grow. I love looseleaf, romaine and butterhead varieties and enjoy all the various leaf colors and textures.

Growing a lettuce garden 

Lettuce is a cool weather crop and is best grown in spring and fall. The seeds germinate in temperatures as low as 40 F (4 C) but its ideal germination and growing temperature is between 60 and 65 F (16 to 18 C). 

To grow great lettuce, find a site that offers at least six to eight hours of direct sun. It is possible to grow lettuce in partial shade (three to four hours of sun), but in low light I would suggest planting looseleaf varieties which grow faster than heading types. Once you’ve picked your spot, prepare the bed for planting by digging in an inch or two of compost or aged manure. If you like, you can also dig in a slow release organic fertilizer at this time.  

Lettuce also makes a fantastic container plant. It produces a shallow root system and can be grown in this cool Vegtrug 8 pocket herb garden, window-boxes, pots, fabric planters, baskets, or any container that is at least four to six inches deep and has drainage holes. 

To get a jump start on the lettuce harvest, I cover my early spring garden beds with fabric or plastic covered mini tunnels. These capture solar energy and protect from cool temperatures and frost.

Lettuce is shallow rooted and can be grown in containers just four to six inches deep.

How to plant lettuce seeds 

There are two ways to plant lettuce seeds: 

  1. Direct sow seeds in the garden or containers.
  2. Transplant lettuce seedlings that were started indoors under grow lights or purchased from a garden centre.

Direct sowing lettuce seeds

When direct seeding heading types of lettuce in rows, space the seeds two inches apart with rows twelve to eighteen inches apart, depending on the variety. Don’t sow the seeds too deeply as they need light to germinate. Cover them with a thin layer of soil. Once the seedlings are growing well, thin to ten to twelve inches.

For a crop of baby lettuce, I like to sow the seeds in bands. You can make narrow bands that are just three to four inches across or wider bands to fit your space. I often sow twelve to eighteen inch wide bands of baby lettuces in my raised beds, trying to space the seeds about two inches apart. You can grow a single variety this way or buy a packet of gourmet mixed lettuces. 

Lettuce can be direct seeded or transplanted into a garden.

Transplanting lettuce

When transplanting lettuce into my garden beds or containers, I typically plant in a grid pattern, spacing each seedling about ten inches apart. This is where you can have a bit of fun if you’re growing multicolored varieties like Salanova Home & Garden Mix. You can stagger the colors to create a checkerboard pattern. 

If transplanting in rows, space seedlings ten to twelve inches apart and rows twelve to eighteen inches apart, depending on the mature size of the variety. Check your seed packet for specific spacing instructions. 

How to plant romaine lettuce

Romaine lettuce is one of the most popular types of lettuce and is very easy to grow. You can grow it as a baby crop and harvest the young leaves for weeks or you can allow the plants to mature to full-sized heads. For the best-tasting romaine lettuce give the plants consistent moisture, plenty of sunlight and cool temperatures. 

Because my garden is a slug haven, I find it helpful to start seeds for romaine lettuce indoors and move the seedlings out to my raised beds a week or two before the last expected spring frost. For full sized heads of romaine lettuce, space them ten inches apart. 

I often use wire mini hoops covered in fabric or plastic to protect my lettuce from frost, bad weather or pests.

Succession planting lettuce

Wondering how to plant lettuce so that you can have a very long season of harvest? The secret is succession planting! Succession planting is simply planting seeds at different times. I like to plant small amounts of lettuce seed at any one time so that we have enough for our family, but not so much that I can’t keep up with the harvest. 

The successive crops come from the additional lettuce seeds I sow every two to three weeks from mid-spring to early summer. Seeding lettuce over the course of spring or autumn results in a non-stop crop of high quality greens.   

How far apart to plant lettuce 

Once your lettuce seedlings are growing well, you can thin them to allow enough room that they mature into good-sized heads. You’ll find specific variety spacing listed on the seed packet, but generally a spacing of ten to twelve inches is best.

For heads of baby lettuce, you can space the plants a bit closer, at six to eight inches. This technique works well for romaine lettuce which then forms compact heads just six to eight inches tall. 

When transplanting lettuce seedlings into my garden beds, I like to space them ten inches apart for full-sized heads. If I’m growing a band of baby greens, I’ll sow the seeds just a few inches apart.

How to grow a lettuce plant 

Now that you know how to plant lettuce, it’s time to learn a few key growing techniques. The key to a high quality crop of tender, mild-tasting lettuce is consistent moisture. If lettuce plants are heat or drought stressed, the leaves turn bitter and the plants will bolt. Bolting is when the plants switch from leaf production to flower production and a flower stalk emerges. Read more about bolting here. 

I live in a northern climate where spring often takes a few steps backwards and temperatures dip below freezing. Keep row covers handy to protect from frost or unexpected cold temperatures. They can be placed directly over the lettuce plants or floated above on hoops. You can also buy handy fleece tunnels online or at garden centres.

If your spring weather turns from warm to hot quicker than expected, keep lengths of shade cloth handy so that you can create a shady spot. It’s easy to make hoops from half inch PVC conduit, metal wire, or other materials. Lay a piece of 40% shadecloth on top of the hoops, securing it with clips. Shadecloth reduces the heat and light around your lettuce plants and can delay bolting by a week or two. 

If you’ve worked organic matter and a slow-release organic fertilizer into the soil before planting, there’s no need to further fertilize your fast-growing lettuce plants. 

When the spring weather turns warm, I often erect a shade cloth tunnel overtop my lettuce bed. This cools and shades the plants, delaying bolting.

Lettuce pests

In my garden, the biggest threats to my lettuce plants are deer and slugs. To deal with deer, check out this excellent article by Jessica. She also wrote this detailed article on slugs. I find diatomaceous earth effective on slugs. Reapply after rain. You can also use chicken wire or willow cloches to keep animals like deer or rabbits away from lettuce. Or, erect a mini hoop tunnel over your bed and cover with bird netting, chicken wire, or an insect barrier fabric.  

Aphids are another common lettuce pest. Aphids are tiny, soft bodied insects that suck the juices from the leaves, causing curling or distortion. Because lettuce grows so quickly, a modest infestation isn’t usually a big problem. I just give the leaves a quick wash before we make a salad. If there are a lot of aphids on your lettuce plants, you can spray with an organic soapy water spray to kill the insects and their eggs. This may require a few applications. 

How to harvest lettuce plants

Once you’ve got a nice crop of lettuce coming along in your garden, how do you know when it’s time to harvest? There are several ways to enjoy your lettuce:

  1. Harvest as a baby green by picking individual young leaves or harvesting the entire immature plant.
  2. Selectively harvest outer leaves from looseleaf or heading varieties as the plants grow.
  3. Harvest the entire head by slicing it off about an inch above the soil.
When harvesting a whole head of lettuce, slice it off just above the soil level.

For more information on growing greens, be sure to check out these awesome articles:

Do you have any more questions about how to plant lettuce? 

Growing Lettuce From Seed - The Complete How To Planting Guide

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Growing lettuce from seed is simple, and so rewarding. In this post, I will show you exactly when and how to plant lettuce seeds for the best results.

Growing lettuce seeds is so much cheaper and far easier than you might think. Once you get good at it, you’ll never go back to buying starts again.

Planting lettuce seeds is fairly straightforward. But, there are different methods you can use, and some important things to keep in mind in order to end up with healthy seedlings.

 

If you want to be really successful, this guide will show you the best system to use, and walk you through everything you need to know about how to grow lettuce from seed, step by step.

Table of Contents

Growing Lettuce From Seed

In this section, you’ll learn all about different types of lettuce seeds to grow, which sowing methods will work best for your garden, and how long it will take.

Types Of Lettuce Seeds For Planting

There are tons of varieties of lettuce seeds you can grow. I like to plant several different types so I have a good mix for my salads.

Some of my favorites are mesclun leaf mix, French Red Leaf, and Butterhead. Other popular options are romaine, bibb, or iceberg.

Related Post: How To Collect Lettuce Seeds From Your Garden

Different types of lettuce seed packets

Recommended Lettuce Seed Starting Methods

You can plant lettuce seeds directly in the garden, start them indoors, or even try winter sowing them.

I personally find it easiest to direct sow them, since they grow so fast, and the small seedlings can be difficult to transplant.

The method you choose depends on what is most convenient for you, and where you live. If it’s too hot or cold to direct sow them, then your best option is to start them indoors.

Related Post: 3 Seed Starting Methods That Every Gardener Should Try

How Long From Seed To Harvest?

Lettuce seeds grow very quickly. On average, it only takes about 40-50 days for them to reach full maturity.

You can start harvesting leafy varieties much sooner than that, since they don’t need to reach full maturity first.

However, larger types, or those that produce a head, need longer to mature. It can take anywhere from 55-80 days from seed to harvest for iceberg, romaine, or bibb lettuce, for example.

Mature leaf lettuce ready to harvest

Planting Lettuce Seeds

Sowing lettuce seeds takes a little bit of planning. Don’t just throw them into the garden and hope for the best. Set yourself up for success by planting them the right way, and at the proper time.

When To Plant Lettuce Seeds

Lettuce seeds germinate best in the cooler temperatures of spring or fall. If it’s too hot, they won’t germinate.

So, the best time to plant lettuce seeds is as soon as the ground is workable in very early spring, or once the temps start to cool down in late summer or early fall.

Lettuce Seeds Germination Time

In general, it takes somewhere between 4-10 days for lettuce seeds to germinate. In perfect conditions, it can be as little as 2 days.

If the soil is too warm, dry, or wet, or if there’s no light, it will inhibit germination. So, if your lettuce seeds aren’t growing, then check the temperature, light, and moisture levels.

What Do Lettuce Seedlings Look Like?

When they first sprout, lettuce seedlings are very small, and have two rounded and slightly oblong shaped leaves. Those are called the “seed leaves”.

All of the ones that form after that are called the “true leaves”, and they look exactly like the mature ones – only much tinier.

Lettuce seeds germinating

How To Care For Lettuce Seedlings

Once your lettuce seedlings have germinated, they still need extra care. Here is what to do to ensure success after they sprout.

Light

In order to germinate and grow their best, lettuce seeds and seedlings need lots of bright light. So make sure to use a grow light indoors to ensure they stay compact.

Water

They will also do best in consistently moist soil. Never allow it to dry out or become too soggy. A moisture gauge is the perfect tool to help you get it just right.

Fertilizer

Once your baby lettuce seedlings form their first true leaves, you can start feeding them with a half strength dose of organic seedling fertilizer, liquid fish emulsion, or compost tea.

Thinning

If you end up with overcrowded lettuce seedlings, then you should thin them to give each one plenty of room, especially head varieties.

Otherwise they will compete for light, water, and nutrients, and end up crowding each other out. Which means you’ll have leggy plants that produce very little.

First true leaves on lettuce seedlings

Transplanting Lettuce Seedlings Into The Garden

If you started your lettuce seeds indoors, then there are a few steps you must take in order for them to survive being transplanted into the garden.

First, make sure that you harden them off to prepare them for life outdoors, and never skip this step. Otherwise, the transplant shock could be fatal.

Also, it’s very important to transplant them at the right time. Lettuce seedlings hate the heat, and hot weather will trigger bolting.

So plant them into the garden as soon as the soil is workable in very early spring, or after your last heatwave in early fall.

Baby lettuce seedlings in my garden

FAQs About Growing Lettuce Seeds

You are probably feeling pretty confident about growing lettuce from seed by now. But you might still have some questions. Here are answers to the ones I get the most.

Why won’t my lettuce seeds germinate?

If your lettuce seeds don’t germinate, they are most likely old. Otherwise, you may have planted them too deep, or the soil is too warm, too wet, or too dry.

How many lettuce seeds do you plant per hole?

How many lettuce seeds to plant per hole depends on their age. If they’re new, then plant one per hole. Otherwise, if they’re more than two years old, plant 2-3 per hole, then thin them out later if necessary.

How deep do you plant lettuce seeds?

You don’t need to plant lettuce seeds very deep. Since they are so small, and require light to germinate, you should plant them only about 1/4 inch deep.

Should I soak lettuce seeds before planting?

While it’s certainly not required, soaking lettuce seeds for 12-24 hours before planting can help to speed up germination.

How can you germinate lettuce seeds faster?

To germinate lettuce seeds faster, try soaking them for 12-24 hours before planting. Also, keep the soil cool, and give them plenty of light right from the start.

Do lettuce seeds need light to germinate?

Yes, lettuce seeds need light to germinate, so make sure that you don’t sow them too deep. Then put them in a bright location during germination, or hang a plant light right above the trays.

Growing lettuce from seed is fun, and very easy. Simply follow the detailed instructions above for the best success, and the biggest bounty!


Would you like to learn how to finally be successful with growing your own seeds? Then you should take my online Seed Starting Course! It’s a fantastic and fully comprehensive online course that you go through at your own pace. Enroll and begin today!

Otherwise, if you just need a little refresher, then you should download my Starting Seeds Indoors eBook for the perfect quick start guide.

Up Next: Learn exactly how to care for your lettuce plants here.

More Posts About Growing Seeds

Share your tips for planting lettuce seeds in the comments below.

Steps For Planting Lettuce Seeds

Below I will walk you through the steps for how to plant lettuce seeds. Before you begin, gather all of your supplies so you have everything you need to hand. This will make the sowing process much easier and faster.

Materials

Tools

Instructions

    1. Prepare the soil or pellets - Indoors, pre-moisten the potting mix or peat pellets before planting in plastic trays. Outdoors, use your garden trowel to loosen the top inch of soil, and remove any weeds or large rocks and sticks before sowing.
    2. Determine how many seeds to plant - Outside, sow the seeds in rows 12-18" apart. Indoors, plant one per hole for fresh seeds, or 2-3 per hole if they're old.
    3. Plant the seeds - Sprinkle the seeds over the top of the garden soil or indoor trays, or plant them no more than 1/4" deep.
    4. Water the soil - Use the lowest setting on your garden hose outdoors, or water the indoor trays from the bottom. Water them well until the soil is evenly moist, but not soggy.
    5. Cover the seed flats (optional) - If you started them indoors, cover the trays with the plastic humidity lid.
    6. Indoors monitor light and temperature - Put the trays in a bright location, or add a grow light. Use a soil thermometer to ensure the temperature stays between 65-75°F.

How to grow leaf lettuce on a windowsill and garden bed

May 13 Likbez Advice

Follow the instructions and you will no longer have to buy greens in stores.

Where you can grow lettuce

Leaf lettuce thrives in garden beds. In open ground, you can plant both seeds and seedlings grown at home or bought in a store.

If you don't have a dacha or your own plot near the house, lettuce will perfectly fit in a container on the windowsill. You can grow greens from seeds or try rooting a bunch in a pot from the vegetable section. nine0003

How to grow lettuce from seed outdoors

The easiest option is to plant leaf lettuce seeds directly in the ground. So you do not have to mess with seedlings, and the result will be no worse, although a little later. It will be possible to harvest in 25-35 days.

It is better to choose a sunny place, without shading. Well, if last year legumes, tomatoes, cucumbers or potatoes grew there. Thanks to crop rotation - the so-called alternation of plants - the risk of damage by pests and diseases will decrease, the harvest will be better. But sowing lettuce in the same bed for two years in a row is not worth it. nine0003

When to plant lettuce outdoors

Early varieties can be planted as early as April-May, while mid-season and late varieties can be planted from April to mid-June. When planting early, the main thing is to wait until the ground warms up enough and warm weather sets in without frost.

Lettuce can be re-sown periodically, removing old plants by the roots. So you can get a crop all summer.

How to grow lettuce outdoors

Dig up the soil 1-2 days before you sow the seeds. Make parallel grooves about a centimeter deep or slightly less at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. nine0003

Sow the seeds at about 5 cm intervals, lightly cover with soil and water. If it is cool outside, the beds can be covered with a film until shoots appear.

When the greenery shows through, it can be thinned out if the planting is too dense.

Too dense plantings can be thinned out to give the plants enough room to grow and develop / Photo: tanitost / Shutterstock

How to care for lettuce

Weeding, watering and loosening are the main points in care. On hot spring and summer days, you need to moisten the beds with lettuce every 1-2 days. In cloudy, rainy and cool weather, the intervals can be increased. The main thing is not to let the soil dry out completely. It is better to water in the morning or in the evening, and not during the most sunny hours. Moreover, it is desirable to use a watering can so that moisture gets on the leaves of the plant. After watering, gently loosen the topsoil. nine0003

Feeding and special fertilizers can be dispensed with during growth. It is enough to bring mullein or bird droppings into the ground in the fall, and start planting in the spring. Don't worry if you don't have time to prepare in advance. In fertile and not depleted soil, lettuce will feel good anyway.

Remove weeds as soon as they appear so that they do not interfere with the normal growth and development of plants.

How to grow lettuce from seedlings outdoors

Growing lettuce seedlings makes sense if you want to get the first harvest as soon as possible. Small plants planted in open ground will grow leaves quite quickly, and it will be possible to start collecting them in one and a half to two weeks. nine0003

When to plant lettuce seedlings

The best time to plant seedlings is March or early April. If you missed the deadline, do not worry: you can buy young plants for planting in the ground even at the beginning of summer.

How to grow lettuce seedlings

It is better to plant lettuce seedlings in peat pots or separate cups - one seed in each. So it will be easier for you to move the plant to a permanent place without damaging it.

Planting lettuce seeds in separate cassettes or pots makes it easier to transplant them without damaging the roots / Photo: Alexander Raths / Shutterstock

If you want to plant lettuce in a common box or container, make grooves in the soil 1 cm deep and at a distance of about 5 cm from each other. Sow the seeds at a distance of about 10 cm. A denser planting will have to be thinned out over time.

Cover the sown seeds with a thin layer of soil and moisten with a spray bottle. Cover with foil and leave for a few days until shoots appear. Do not forget to remove the film every day and air it for at least half an hour, and when the sprouts are visible, remove the cover. nine0003

Soil suitable for universal or special seedlings. Feeds are not needed.

When to transplant lettuce outdoors

After about 3 weeks or less, when the plants are strong enough, they can be planted in a greenhouse or outdoors. At the same time, you need to wait until the earth warms up enough, and the threat of frost recedes.

How to care for lettuce

Caring for lettuce planted outdoors as seedlings is no different from caring for lettuce sown directly in the beds. Depending on the weather, plants should be watered from a watering can in the morning or evening every 1-2 days or less. Also, do not forget to loosen the soil and remove weeds. nine0003

How to grow lettuce from seeds on a windowsill

Leaf lettuce is a great option for an apartment garden. It is very easy to take care of, and you can harvest the first harvest in about 25 days. It is worth paying attention to early-ripening varieties that feel fine in low light.

No special conditions are needed, although some points are better to take into account. Ideally, if the windows face east or west and are not too shaded by trees. It will be too hot on southern plants, and there will be little light on northern ones. nine0003

In autumn and winter, when daylight hours are short, special lamps will have to be used. Without them, the plants will be frail and will not please with abundant greenery.

In late spring, summer and warm autumn, lettuce will feel great on a balcony or loggia / Photo: Ashley‑Belle Burns / Shutterstock

Room temperature is fine. But keep in mind that with constant strong heat, the lettuce will quickly release arrows and begin to bloom, and the leaves will be bitter.

For planting, you can take ordinary pots or larger containers, always with drainage holes and trays. The soil is suitable for store, universal or special for vegetable crops. In addition to it, drainage is needed. It can be expanded clay, broken bricks, small shards of raw clay pots, pebbles, gravel and even foam. nine0003

When to plant lettuce on the windowsill

There are no strict time limits when growing indoors. Seeds can be sown at any time of the year.

How to plant lettuce seeds

Place a layer of drainage on the bottom of the container. Spread the soil on top, retreating from the edge of about 0.5 cm. Slightly moisten the ground with a spray bottle, but do not create a swamp.

Sow the seeds not too thick and cover with a layer of soil no thicker than 5 mm. If you do not want to thin out crops, place the seeds in the ground at a distance of at least 5 cm.

Cover the container with film or glass and leave in a warm, shady place.

How to care for lettuce on the windowsill

Air the plantings every day for at least half an hour before germination to prevent mold.

After 4-5 days, when the first shoots emerge from the soil, remove the film or glass. Rearrange the container with plants on the windowsill or loggia. After a week, thin out your plantings so that the distance between plants is approximately 1.5–2 cm. When 2–3 true leaves appear, repeat the procedure again. This time, leave a distance of about 5 cm. You can plant the plants that you have to pull out in a separate bowl. nine0003

Rotate the container of lettuce every few days. So it will develop evenly and will not turn out to be one-sided due to the fact that one side will be constantly in the sun, and the other will not.

Don't forget to water. It is needed on average every other day, although it all depends on the conditions. For example, in a warm room or on the southern windowsills on hot days, the earth will dry faster. Therefore, do not leave the salad unattended. At first, while the plants are very small and fragile, it is advisable to combine watering with spraying. Although after, especially in rooms with dry air, this procedure will benefit. In any case, it is better to use water at room temperature or a little warmer, always separated. nine0003

Top dressing is not needed if you immediately take high-quality store soil.

How to grow lettuce from a grocery store on a windowsill

The vegetable department often sells lettuce in pots. Due to the fact that plants have a root system, they stay fresh longer and store better. And after cutting the greenery, the plants can be planted and re-harvested from them.

Another crop can be harvested from store-bought lettuce in a pot / Photo: ArtSvetlana / Shutterstock

When to plant a lettuce in a pot

You can give a plant a second life at any time of the year, the main thing is to create the right conditions.

How to plant lettuce in a pot

Cut off all lettuce leaves 1-2 cm from the ground. Carefully separate the pot. It is quite thin and brittle, so it can be cut with a sharp knife or scissors.

Place the roots in a bowl of settled water at room temperature.

When the new leaves are 4-5 cm long, plant the lettuce in a pot or container with an all purpose store soil. nine0003

How to care for lettuce in a pot

No problem. Just water the salad about every other day and spray frequently. No need to feed. This is enough to harvest another new crop.

Read also 🧐

How to sow lettuce - 3 proven ways for different situations

Lettuce seeds can be sown from early spring to early autumn. Learn how to do it right in order to reap a good harvest from even the smallest garden. nine0003

Lettuce seeds can be sown as a single bed or between other vegetables. Carrots, parsnips and even tomatoes are considered good salad neighbors.

You can sow several rows of lettuce between roses or other flowers right in the flower bed.

Method #1 - spot sowing

This method will help you out if there are not very many seeds. In order for all sown lettuce seeds to sprout, they must be prepared in advance. Do not neglect seedbed preparation and plant dry seeds into the ground using the spot sowing method. It is better to soak them for a day in water, and if it is an infusion of ash, then the seeds will also be enriched with trace elements. To prepare it you will need:

Pour the ash into water, mix thoroughly, infuse for 2 days, then filter. Lettuce seeds are left in this infusion for 24 hours, and after that, slightly swollen, they are sown in holes up to 2 cm deep.

Bed preparation is one of the most important steps in the process of sowing and harvesting

The distance between seeds depends on the type of lettuce. Leaves can be sown 5-6 cm apart, but half-headed and head-headed 8-10 and 15-20 cm, respectively. From above, the seeds are covered with loose earth and compacted a little. nine0003

Method #2 - semi-seedling method

This method is suitable for those who are going to grow lettuce for sale. It allows you to get greens in a very early time. To get lettuce seedlings, you need to prepare the seeds, as in the description of the first method. Then they must be sown in a container with a depth of no more than 3 cm and wait for seedlings.

Such seedlings can be planted in a bunch on the bed

After 4-6 days, when the first cotyledon leaves appear, carefully remove 3-5 lettuce seedlings together with the ground and plant in a bunch in the prepared grooves on the bed. nine0003

It is better to sow lettuce varieties that do not tend to shoot, for example, Dude , Major , Tango , Zador .

Learn more