Growing Lettuce

lactuca sativa : Asteraceae / the daisy family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S                  
      T T              
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Lettuce in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden, or start in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks.. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 81°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 8-12 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Carrots, Onions, Strawberries, Beets, Brassicas, Radish, Marigold, Borage, Chervil, Florence fennel, leeks.
  • Avoid growing close to: Parsley, Celery

Your comments and tips

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20 May 18, Heather (Australia - temperate climate)
I’m in the southern highlands and I can’t seem to grow iceberg lettuce??? Any suggestions why
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21 May 18, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
You have indicated temperate and it says plant all year. Cool / Mountain is Sept to May. Do you receive all day sun. They need lots of sun. If still no good suggest you grow another variety.
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18 May 18, lois (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
i am from united states and I SAW OMNLINE ABOUT A CERTAIN KIND OF LETTUCE GROWN IN AUSTRALIA AND I CANNOT FIND OUT WHERE TO GET ANY. IT STARTS WITH A W,CAN YOU HELP ME. I HAD IT WRITTEN DOWN ON A PIECE OF PAPER BUT CANNOT FIND IT NOWM CAN YOU HELP?
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22 May 18, Claudie (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Lois, the only 'w' lettuce I can think of is Webb's Wonderful, which is a crisp-head type of lettuce, like iceberg. Could this be the one?
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21 May 18, colin (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Lettuce Green Mignonette is a possibility.
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21 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Is it White Boston? If so The Seed Collection Company on the internet have it $1 for 200 seeds- but out of stock at the moment. You could try other seed selling companies on the net.
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03 Jun 18, Andrew (Australia - temperate climate)
Not sure if it qualifies as lettuce, but wombok?
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05 Sep 18, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Andrew - I believe Wombok is Chinese 'cabbage' and that: 1. there are different types of Wombok 2. Cabbage is a brassica Is lettuce a brassica? I thought not but I could be wrong. - Jane
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04 Jun 18, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
This is the page you need www.gardenate.com/plant/Chinese%2Bcabbage
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04 Apr 18, Eugenia Wen (Australia - temperate climate)
I have a question is that my letuce will not grow and it always is dying I always follow the step of growning a good letucd but is always dies please help Eugenia
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Showing 61 - 70 of 258 comments
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To increase the levels of Molybdenum (Mo, also called Molly) in your soils -- wood ash (from a fireplace, firepit, or barbeque) can be incorporated into the soil. Alternatively, Banana peels are an excellent source of Moly. Animal manure tends to (grass/grain/vegetable feeders) tend to have a decent amount of Moly in their manure. If all of these are out of reach, perhaps try incorporating wood chips/bark mulch in your garden. You can make bark chip paths, use the paths, then the following year when the chips are broken down mix them into the soil. OR -- just mix the wood chips (bark, mulch, whatever) directly into the soil. As the wood is breaking down it takes a lot of nitrogen. I would expect to find Moly in leaf mulch - but have not found any reliable sources that have stated this as a fact. If you choose to use chemical forms of Moly remember that this is a TRACE element - VERY little is needed and over application can result in a OTHER problems. Staying organic almost guarantees you will not over apply. If you live in an area where wood burning stoves and fireplaces where common for heating (pre- electric fireplaces and stoves) - and you know people old enough to have been around when wood ash was common in the garden (there was no place else to put it) - they can tell you how amazing the gardens where back then.

- Celeste Archer

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