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Lettuce

Lactuca sativa

VegetableContainer-friendlyCool-seasonBeginner Easy

Quick, cool-season, and perfect for containers or tight spaces. Sow a little every couple of weeks and harvest the outer leaves for a steady supply.

Growing conditions

Light
Partial sun
Water
High
Soil
Moist, fertile, well-draining
When to sow
Spring and autumn; bolts in summer heat
Spacing
20–30 cm (looseleaf closer)
Days to maturity
45 days
Hardiness
Cool-season annual, zones 4–9

How to grow it

  1. 1

    Sow shallow in cool weather

    Surface-sow or barely cover seeds — they need light to . Lettuce sprouts best in cool soil (10–20°C); too warm and germination stalls.

  2. 2

    Keep it moist and lightly shaded

    Lettuce has shallow roots and bolts in heat, so keep the soil consistently moist and give it afternoon shade in warm spells.

  3. 3

    Thin for full heads

    Thin seedlings to give each room; eat the thinnings. Crowded lettuce stays small and competes for water and light.

  4. 4

    Harvest outer leaves, sow in succession

    Pick outer leaves and let the center keep growing ('cut-and-come-again'). Sow a new short row every 2 weeks for a continuous supply.

Gardener's notes

  • A great plant tucked between slower crops.
  • lightly to keep roots cool and moist.