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Lettuce

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When to plant lettuce

Sow a short row every two to three weeks for a steady supply. Bolts and turns bitter in hot weather; afternoon shade helps.

Photo: en:User:Geographer, CC BY 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The rules we use

Frost
Takes a light frost. Can go out 4 weeks before the average last frost.
Start indoors
4–5 weeks before planting out, or sow directly outside
Soil warm enough
Weekly mean around 5°C41°F or more
Heat limit
Average highs above 27°C81°F while it matures (it bolts)
Days to harvest
About 50 days from sowing in warm weather; longer when it is cool
Picking
About 4 weeks from one planting

General guidance, kept on the cautious side. Varieties differ: check the seed packet. How the dates are worked out.

At a glance

Grows outdoors in
88 of 89 cities
Earliest start (north)
San Francisco, January 1
Latest start (north)
Phoenix, October 25
Can go in this week
20 cities
No outdoor window
Honolulu

Lettuce: city by city

Sorted from the earliest start after midwinter to the latest. Southern-hemisphere cities follow, with their seasons six months on.

Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday

Northern hemisphere
San FranciscoCalifornia
TucsonArizona
AustinTexas
San AntonioTexas
DallasTexas
El PasoTexas
PortlandOregon
SeattleWashington
MemphisTennessee
BirminghamAlabama
Little RockArkansas
AtlantaGeorgia
VancouverBritish Columbia
WashingtonDistrict of Columbia
CharlotteNorth Carolina
RaleighNorth Carolina
NashvilleTennessee
TulsaOklahoma
BaltimoreMaryland
RichmondVirginia
LouisvilleKentucky
Kansas CityMissouri
Oklahoma CityOklahoma
LondonEngland
CardiffWales
ManchesterEngland
AlbuquerqueNew Mexico
BristolEngland
PhiladelphiaPennsylvania
St. LouisMissouri
Salt Lake CityUtah
DublinIreland
New YorkNew York
BelfastNorthern Ireland
IndianapolisIndiana
CincinnatiOhio
PittsburghPennsylvania
ColumbusOhio
OmahaNebraska
BirminghamEngland
Des MoinesIowa
GlasgowScotland
ClevelandOhio
ChicagoIllinois
BoiseIdaho
BostonMassachusetts
SpokaneWashington
EdinburghScotland
DetroitMichigan
MilwaukeeWisconsin
MinneapolisMinnesota
DenverColorado
BillingsMontana
MadisonWisconsin
PortlandMaine
TorontoOntario
BuffaloNew York
FargoNorth Dakota
BurlingtonVermont
MontrealQuebec
OttawaOntario
HalifaxNova Scotia
EdmontonAlberta
WinnipegManitoba
AnchorageAlaska
CalgaryAlberta
San DiegoCalifornia
CharlestonSouth Carolina
San JoseCalifornia
JacksonvilleFlorida
SacramentoCalifornia
New OrleansLouisiana
Los AngelesCalifornia
HoustonTexas
FresnoCalifornia
OrlandoFlorida
TampaFlorida
Las VegasNevada
MiamiFlorida
PhoenixArizona
Southern hemisphere
HobartTasmania
CanberraAustralian Capital Territory
SydneyNew South Wales
MelbourneVictoria
AucklandNew Zealand
AdelaideSouth Australia
PerthWestern Australia
BrisbaneQueensland

Swipe sideways to see the whole year →

Dates

CitySow indoorsSow outdoorsHarvest
San Francisco California–Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Tucson ArizonaDec 4 – Jan 1Jan 8 – Feb 24, Oct 17 – Oct 29Mar 8 – May 5, Nov 28 – Dec 19
Austin TexasDec 19 – Jan 16Jan 23 – Mar 15, Sep 30 – Oct 25Mar 20 – May 20, Nov 7 – Dec 13
San Antonio TexasDec 19 – Jan 16Jan 23 – Mar 7, Oct 2 – Oct 27Mar 16 – May 12, Nov 8 – Dec 13
Dallas TexasDec 29 – Jan 26Feb 2 – Mar 24, Sep 25 – Oct 17Apr 2 – May 29, Nov 2 – Dec 9
El Paso TexasDec 29 – Jan 26Feb 2 – Mar 6, Oct 1 – Oct 10Apr 5 – May 18, Nov 11 – Nov 30
Portland OregonJan 9 – Feb 6Feb 13 – Jun 16, Jul 27 – Sep 14May 18 – Aug 20, Sep 2 – Nov 29
Seattle WashingtonJan 9 – Feb 6Feb 13 – Sep 10May 25 – Nov 27
Memphis TennesseeJan 12 – Feb 9Feb 16 – Apr 8, Sep 8 – Oct 4Apr 22 – Jun 13, Oct 15 – Nov 26
Birmingham AlabamaJan 17 – Feb 14Feb 21 – Mar 28, Sep 14 – Oct 3Apr 18 – Jun 4, Oct 22 – Nov 21
Little Rock ArkansasJan 17 – Feb 14Feb 21 – Apr 1, Sep 13 – Oct 2Apr 19 – Jun 7, Oct 21 – Nov 20
Atlanta GeorgiaJan 20 – Feb 17Feb 24 – Apr 8, Aug 26 – Oct 1Apr 21 – Jun 13, Oct 2 – Nov 18
Vancouver British ColumbiaJan 23 – Feb 20Feb 27 – Sep 4May 29 – Nov 15
Washington District of ColumbiaJan 25 – Feb 22Mar 1 – Apr 22, Aug 19 – Sep 26May 11 – Jun 28, Sep 25 – Nov 28
Charlotte North CarolinaJan 26 – Feb 23Mar 2 – Apr 5, Aug 27 – Sep 27Apr 26 – Jun 12, Oct 3 – Nov 13
Raleigh North CarolinaJan 27 – Feb 24Mar 3 – Apr 10, Aug 25 – Sep 27Apr 29 – Jun 16, Oct 1 – Nov 14
Nashville TennesseeJan 27 – Feb 24Mar 3 – Apr 6, Sep 9 – Sep 26Apr 30 – Jun 13, Oct 17 – Nov 13
Tulsa OklahomaJan 27 – Feb 24Mar 3 – Apr 9, Sep 12 – Sep 27Apr 29 – Jun 15, Oct 20 – Nov 14
Baltimore MarylandJan 29 – Feb 26Mar 5 – Apr 23, Aug 17 – Sep 26May 12 – Jun 29, Sep 23 – Dec 1
Richmond VirginiaJan 30 – Feb 27Mar 6 – Apr 12, Aug 25 – Sep 25May 5 – Jun 19, Oct 1 – Nov 14
Louisville KentuckyJan 30 – Feb 27Mar 6 – Apr 18, Aug 23 – Sep 22May 8 – Jun 24, Sep 29 – Nov 13
Kansas City MissouriJan 31 – Feb 28Mar 7 – Apr 21, Aug 27 – Sep 18May 12 – Jun 27, Oct 4 – Nov 12
Oklahoma City OklahomaJan 31 – Feb 28Mar 7 – Apr 6, Sep 12 – Sep 26Apr 28 – Jun 12, Oct 20 – Nov 12
London EnglandJan 31 – Feb 28Mar 7 – Sep 14May 29 – Dec 1
Cardiff WalesJan 31 – Feb 28Mar 7 – Sep 14Jun 3 – Dec 5
Manchester EnglandFeb 1 – Mar 1Mar 8 – Sep 6Jun 3 – Nov 26
Albuquerque New MexicoFeb 2 – Mar 2Mar 9 – Mar 30, Sep 4 – Sep 20May 9 – Jun 14, Oct 13 – Nov 13
Bristol EnglandFeb 2 – Mar 2Mar 9 – Sep 12Jun 4 – Dec 2
Philadelphia PennsylvaniaFeb 4 – Mar 4Mar 11 – Apr 27, Aug 15 – Sep 22May 18 – Jul 3, Sep 21 – Nov 20
St. Louis MissouriFeb 4 – Mar 4Mar 11 – Apr 15, Aug 27 – Sep 18May 10 – Jun 22, Oct 3 – Nov 5
Salt Lake City UtahFeb 4 – Mar 4Mar 11 – Apr 24, Sep 3 – Sep 12May 24 – Jul 6, Oct 16 – Nov 10
Dublin IrelandFeb 9 – Mar 9Mar 16 – Sep 3Jun 11 – Nov 20
New York New YorkFeb 10 – Mar 10Mar 17 – May 15, Aug 1 – Sep 22May 25 – Jul 19, Sep 7 – Nov 30
Belfast Northern IrelandFeb 10 – Mar 10Mar 17 – Aug 30Jun 10 – Nov 17
Indianapolis IndianaFeb 11 – Mar 11Mar 18 – Apr 29, Aug 16 – Sep 14May 21 – Jul 5, Sep 22 – Nov 5
Cincinnati OhioFeb 12 – Mar 12Mar 19 – Apr 21, Aug 19 – Sep 15May 17 – Jun 28, Sep 25 – Nov 4
Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaFeb 14 – Mar 14Mar 21 – Apr 26, Aug 12 – Sep 13May 24 – Jul 4, Sep 18 – Nov 7
Columbus OhioFeb 14 – Mar 14Mar 21 – Apr 29, Aug 13 – Sep 13May 22 – Jul 6, Sep 19 – Nov 6
Omaha NebraskaFeb 14 – Mar 14Mar 21 – Apr 29, Aug 11 – Sep 9May 24 – Jul 6, Sep 17 – Oct 31
Birmingham EnglandFeb 15 – Mar 15Mar 22 – Sep 2Jun 13 – Nov 20
Des Moines IowaFeb 16 – Mar 16Mar 23 – May 3, Aug 8 – Sep 8May 26 – Jul 9, Sep 14 – Oct 30
Glasgow ScotlandFeb 16 – Mar 16Mar 23 – Aug 25Jun 18 – Nov 13
Cleveland OhioFeb 19 – Mar 19Mar 26 – May 13, Aug 2 – Sep 14May 30 – Jul 18, Sep 8 – Nov 22
Chicago IllinoisFeb 20 – Mar 20Mar 27 – May 18, Jul 25 – Sep 10Jun 2 – Jul 23, Aug 31 – Nov 10
Boise IdahoFeb 20 – Mar 20Mar 27 – May 6, Aug 31 – Sep 7Jun 1 – Jul 16, Oct 14 – Oct 31
Boston MassachusettsFeb 22 – Mar 22Mar 29 – May 20, Aug 1 – Sep 12Jun 5 – Jul 25, Sep 7 – Nov 19
Spokane WashingtonFeb 22 – Mar 22Mar 29 – May 23, Jul 31 – Aug 26Jun 11 – Aug 1, Sep 7 – Oct 25
Edinburgh ScotlandFeb 23 – Mar 23Mar 30 – Aug 23Jun 25 – Nov 10
Detroit MichiganFeb 24 – Mar 24Mar 31 – May 20, Jul 24 – Sep 10Jun 3 – Jul 24, Aug 30 – Nov 10
Milwaukee WisconsinFeb 27 – Mar 27Apr 3 – Jun 1, Jul 15 – Sep 5Jun 10 – Aug 5, Aug 21 – Nov 8
Minneapolis MinnesotaFeb 28 – Mar 28Apr 4 – May 10, Jul 25 – Sep 2Jun 4 – Jul 16, Aug 31 – Oct 28
Denver ColoradoMar 2 – Mar 25Apr 6 – Apr 22, Aug 18 – Sep 1Jun 5 – Jul 8, Sep 26 – Oct 18
Billings MontanaMar 2 – Mar 30Apr 6 – May 9, Aug 19 – Aug 25Jun 12 – Jul 22, Oct 1 – Oct 17
Madison WisconsinMar 3 – Mar 31Apr 7 – May 21, Jul 21 – Aug 31Jun 10 – Jul 26, Aug 27 – Oct 20
Portland MaineMar 4 – Apr 1Apr 8 – Jun 17, Jul 10 – Aug 30Jun 15 – Oct 25
Toronto OntarioMar 5 – Apr 2Apr 9 – Aug 31Jun 13 – Oct 19
Buffalo New YorkMar 6 – Apr 3Apr 10 – Sep 7Jun 14 – Nov 5
Fargo North DakotaMar 10 – Apr 7Apr 14 – May 16, Jul 25 – Aug 22Jun 13 – Jul 23, Aug 31 – Oct 10
Burlington VermontMar 11 – Apr 8Apr 15 – Jun 17, Jul 12 – Aug 31Jun 17 – Oct 25
Montreal QuebecMar 11 – Apr 8Apr 15 – Jun 10, Jul 15 – Aug 28Jun 14 – Aug 13, Aug 21 – Oct 19
Ottawa OntarioMar 13 – Apr 10Apr 17 – Jun 16, Jul 11 – Aug 24Jun 16 – Oct 12
Halifax Nova ScotiaMar 17 – Apr 14Apr 21 – Aug 29Jul 2 – Oct 27
Edmonton AlbertaMar 20 – Apr 17Apr 24 – Aug 5Jun 30 – Sep 29
Winnipeg ManitobaMar 22 – Apr 19Apr 26 – Jun 5, Jul 14 – Aug 14Jun 24 – Aug 10, Aug 20 – Oct 2
Anchorage AlaskaMar 23 – Apr 20Apr 27 – Jul 27Jul 6 – Oct 9
Calgary AlbertaMar 24 – Apr 21Apr 28 – Aug 1Jul 5 – Sep 20
San Diego CaliforniaJul 17 – Jul 25Aug 1 – Jul 16Jan 1 – Dec 31
Charleston South CarolinaJul 31 – Aug 28Sep 4 – Apr 6Oct 11 – Jun 10
San Jose CaliforniaAug 6 – Sep 3Sep 10 – May 5Oct 17 – Jul 9
Jacksonville FloridaAug 11 – Sep 8Sep 15 – Mar 16Oct 22 – May 20
Sacramento CaliforniaAug 19 – Sep 16Sep 23 – Apr 8Nov 1 – Jun 15
New Orleans LouisianaAug 20 – Sep 17Sep 24 – Mar 16Oct 31 – May 20
Los Angeles CaliforniaAug 21 – Sep 18Sep 25 – May 16Nov 1 – Jul 19
Houston TexasAug 28 – Sep 25Oct 2 – Mar 16Nov 8 – May 19
Fresno CaliforniaAug 29 – Sep 26Oct 3 – Mar 24Nov 15 – Jun 1
Orlando FloridaSep 2 – Sep 30Oct 7 – Feb 24Nov 13 – Apr 29
Tampa FloridaSep 2 – Sep 30Oct 7 – Mar 3Nov 13 – May 6
Las Vegas NevadaNov 22 – Dec 20Dec 27 – Mar 12, Oct 8 – Oct 19Mar 15 – May 19, Nov 21 – Dec 20
Miami FloridaSep 14 – Oct 12Oct 19 – Mar 1Nov 25 – May 4
Phoenix ArizonaSep 20 – Oct 18Oct 25 – Feb 13Dec 6 – Apr 23
Hobart TasmaniaJun 23 – Jul 21Jul 28 – Mar 28Oct 27 – Jun 17
Canberra Australian Capital TerritoryJul 24 – Aug 21Jan 22 – Mar 18, Aug 28 – Nov 19Nov 5 – Jan 24, Feb 28 – May 13
Sydney New South Wales–Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Melbourne Victoria–Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Auckland New Zealand–Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Adelaide South AustraliaDec 30 – Jan 27Feb 3 – Nov 17Mar 12 – Jan 20
Perth Western AustraliaJan 29 – Feb 26Mar 5 – Oct 23Apr 11 – Dec 26
Brisbane QueenslandFeb 12 – Mar 12Mar 19 – Sep 11Apr 25 – Nov 14
Honolulu HawaiiToo hot year-round: it bolts or fails to set before it matures. Try heat-tolerant varieties in the coolest months.

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