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Vegetable Crop Calendars (A–C)Lettuce Planting Calendar: Succession Sowing
Lettuce is quick and cool-loving, so the secret to a long harvest is not one perfect planting date but a series of small sowings timed to the weather.
Key points
- Sow lettuce in small batches every week or two.
- Match varieties to the season.
- Keep seed cool and moist in summer.
- Count back from first frost for fall lettuce.
- Keep water steady to avoid bitterness.
Why does lettuce bolt?
Lettuce sends up a seed stalk when heat and long days combine, and leaves turn bitter as it does. Varieties differ in how quickly this happens, and extension articles often list heat-tolerant types for summer plantings. The best protection is a good match between variety and season.
Moisture stress and crowding make the problem worse, so even moisture and proper spacing help.
Use the leaf types for continuous cutting and the head types when you have more time to wait. Both fit a succession plan, and mixing them gives a varied harvest.
When do you sow in spring?
Lettuce seed can go in as soon as the soil can be worked, a few weeks before the last frost in many areas. Cool soil slows germination but does not usually stop it, and young plants tolerate light frost. Check your state guide for the lead time that fits your region.
Sow short rows every week or two, and keep sowing until the weather turns warm enough that plants bolt before heading. Use leaf types for the late spring sowings, since they mature faster than head types.
Thin seedlings early to the spacing for your type, and eat the thinnings. Crowding encourages disease and tip burn. Where springs are short, lettuce often does best as an early crop followed by a break in summer, and where springs are long, you may be able to keep going until real heat arrives. Use your own bolting dates to decide.
How do you handle summer sowings?
Lettuce seed germinates poorly in hot soil, and some varieties go dormant when soil is warm. Extension guides suggest sowing in the cool of the evening, keeping the bed moist and shaded, or starting seed indoors and transplanting. University of Delaware Extension has a note on heat-tolerant varieties and preparing for fall lettuce.
Shade cloth over the bed during hot spells keeps leaves tender longer.
If soil temperature is the problem, a trick some growers use is to chill seed in a refrigerator for a day or two before sowing. Check whether your state guide recommends this. If you have access to shade, a bed on the east side of taller crops gets morning sun and afternoon shade, which lets lettuce hold longer into warm weather.
- Choose heat-tolerant varieties for warm spells.
- Keep the seedbed moist and shaded.
- Sow in the evening if possible.
- Use shade cloth over mature plants.
How do you plan fall lettuce?
Count back from your first fall frost using days to maturity from the seed packet, and add a margin for slower growth as days shorten. A sowing in late summer grows into cool weather, and plants often outlast spring lettuce.
For example, if your first frost usually arrives in late October, you would plan sowings several weeks before that, with small batches repeated until growth slows. Use that only as an illustration of the method and set your dates from local data.
Row cover or a cold frame extends harvest after the first frosts. Keep a log of sowing dates and the day each planting bolts. Within a season or two you will see a clear pattern.
What soil and water help lettuce?
Lettuce has shallow roots and needs steady moisture. Dry spells cause bitter leaves and early bolting. Fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter holds moisture. A soil test shows what the bed needs, and your extension office can help interpret it. Nutrient management rules vary by state.
Mulch keeps roots cool. Follow local water rules when irrigating, and water in the morning so leaves dry.
Harvest in the cool of the morning for crisp leaves, and rinse and chill them promptly. Cut-and-come-again harvests of leaf types keep plants producing for weeks.
What pests and problems occur?
Slugs, aphids, tip burn in warm weather and leaf diseases are common. Space plants for airflow and remove debris. Rotation lowers disease pressure.
If a pesticide is ever considered, read the label, observe the pre-harvest interval, protect pollinators and check applicator licensing rules. Ask your extension office what is active in your area. Wash leaves well, and use tested guidance from the National Center for Home Food Preservation for any preservation.
Clean up old plants promptly, since slugs and diseases overwinter in debris. Rotate lettuce with crops from other families, and avoid planting it where lettuce or its relatives had disease problems the year before.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.