Lettuce planting calendar for USDA Zone 6a

Western NC mountains, southern PA, central OH, northern MO. Average last spring frost May 1, first fall frost October 1 — a 153-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent

Lettuce is well suited to Zone 6a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors

March 27 – April 10

Direct-seed or transplant outdoors

March 27 – April 17

Expected first harvest

May 18 – June 15

Fall planting window

July 30 – August 20

Fall harvest window

September 20 – October 18

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 6a

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 6a

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.

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