How to Grow Lettuce from Seed: A Complete Guide
How to Grow Lettuce from Seed: A Complete Guide
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is one of the easiest and most rewarding crops you can grow from seed. It loves cool weather, sprouts quickly, and gives you fresh, crisp leaves long before most summer vegetables are ready. Growing lettuce from seed also lets you choose from far more varieties than you will ever find at the store. With a little planning and a few sowings spaced through the season, you can enjoy homegrown salads in both spring and fall. Shop lettuce seeds
Lettuce growing at a glance
- Botanical name: Lactuca sativa
- Need for sun: 6–8 hours
- Planting depth: 1/8″
- Sprouts in: 7–10 days
- Ideal growing temperature: 60–80°F
- Plant spacing: 8″
- Frost hardy: Yes, for light frost
- Growth habit: Romaine
When to Start Lettuce Seeds
Lettuce is a cool-season crop, so the best times to start it are early spring and fall. Sow seeds in a seedling tray and transplant them outdoors for full-size heads. Because lettuce tolerates light frost, you can plant it out earlier in spring than tender crops like peppers and tomatoes.
How to Start Lettuce Seeds in Seedling Trays
- Fill a seedling tray with a light, moist seed starting mix.
- Sow seeds 1/8″ deep. Lettuce seeds are tiny, so a very thin layer of mix on top is enough.
- Keep the soil evenly moist. Seeds should sprout in 7–10 days.
- Keep the tray somewhere cool. Most lettuce seeds, except Batavian-type varieties, can’t germinate well in high temperatures.
When to Transplant Lettuce
Move seedlings outdoors in early spring or fall, once they have a few true leaves. Lettuce grows best at 60–80°F and can handle a light frost, which makes it a perfect crop for the shoulder seasons when it is too cool for heat-loving plants.
Best Soil and Spacing for Lettuce
Plant lettuce where it will get 6–8 hours of sun a day, in loose, well-drained soil enriched with compost. Space plants 8″ apart so each romaine head has room to fill out.
How to Fertilize Lettuce
Lettuce is a light feeder. Working compost into the bed before planting, plus an occasional light feeding of liquid fertilizer, keeps the leaves growing quickly and tender.
How to Water Lettuce
Lettuce has shallow roots, so it needs steady moisture to stay crisp and sweet. Water regularly so the soil never dries out completely, and water at the base of the plants rather than over the leaves. A layer of mulch helps keep the soil cool and moist.
Succession Sowing for Continuous Harvests
Instead of planting all your lettuce at once, keep sowing every two weeks. Each new tray of seedlings will be ready as the previous planting is harvested, giving you a steady supply of fresh heads instead of a single large harvest all at once.
Lettuce Growing FAQ
How long do lettuce seeds take to germinate?
Lettuce seeds sprout in about 7–10 days when kept moist and cool.
How deep should I plant lettuce seeds?
Plant lettuce seeds about 1/8″ deep.
How far apart should lettuce plants be?
Space lettuce plants about 8″ apart.
When should I plant lettuce?
Sow lettuce in a seedling tray to transplant in early spring or fall for full-size heads.
Can lettuce survive frost?
Yes. Lettuce is hardy to light frost, which is why it is such a good crop for early spring and fall.
Why won’t my lettuce seeds germinate in summer?
Most lettuce seeds, except Batavian-type varieties, can’t germinate well in high temperatures. Sow in cooler weather, or choose a Batavian type for warmer conditions.