Growing lettuce: timing, spacing and costs by zone

When to plant

Lettuce: cool-season, half-hardy to frost. Plant when soil reaches 45–70°F. Dates below are averages worked out from each zone's frost dates — check your own field.

• Zone 6b (Boone NC): set out March 20 – April 10; fall planting August 6 – August 27. First picking around May 11 – June 8.
• Zone 7b (Raleigh): set out March 4 – March 25; fall planting August 20 – September 10. First picking around April 25 – May 23.
• Zone 8b (Charleston SC): set out February 8 – March 1; fall planting September 13 – October 4. First picking around April 1 – April 29.
• Zone 9a (Gainesville FL): set out January 21 – February 11; fall planting September 29 – October 20. First picking around March 14 – April 11.

Setting it up

Direct-seed or transplant (start transplants about 4 weeks ahead). Space plants 8 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, about 0.125 inch deep. Expect roughly 45 days to first harvest.

Field notes

Successive plantings every 10–14 days for continuous harvest. Bolts fast above 75°F — use heat-tolerant varieties past May.

How it fits each zone

• Zone 6b: excellent — Lettuce is well suited to Zone 6b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.
• Zone 7b: excellent — Lettuce is well suited to Zone 7b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.
• Zone 8b: excellent — Lettuce is well suited to Zone 8b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.
• Zone 9a: good — Cool-season crops bolt fast under Zone 9a heat. Prioritize the fall planting window and use shade cloth for any spring succession.

Before you plant

Line up who will buy it and at what price before seed goes in the ground. See the planting calendar for your exact zone.