When to plant lettuce in USDA Zone 5a

Plan your lettuce planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Madison WI, Des Moines, southern MN, central MI. Average last spring frost May 8, first fall frost September 29 — a 144-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Lettuce is well suited to Zone 5a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
April 3 – April 17
Direct-seed or transplant outdoors
April 3 – April 24
Expected first harvest
May 25 – June 22
Fall planting window
July 28 – August 18
Fall harvest window
September 18 – October 16

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
8″
Row spacing
12″
Seed depth
0.125″
Soil temperature
45–70°F
Frost tolerance
half-hardy
Days to harvest
45 days

Grower notes for Zone 5a

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

Plant near: carrots, radish, strawberries

Other leafy greens for Zone 5a

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.