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When to plant lettuce

Daisy family, Lactuca sativa

Spacing
8″ apart
Per sq ft
4
To harvest
45–70 days
Frost
Light frost OK

Companion plants for lettuce

What to grow next to lettuce, what to keep away, and what is only tradition. Every pairing says how strong the evidence is.

Grow together 23

Helps, or shares the bed well.

  • Tomato Practical Lettuce fills the bare soil around young tomatoes and is picked before the tomatoes shade it out. Later, the tomatoes give lettuce welcome afternoon shade.

    Tomato guide

  • Cherry tomato Practical Lettuce fills the bare soil around young tomatoes and is picked before the tomatoes shade it out. Later, the tomatoes give lettuce welcome afternoon shade.

    Cherry tomato guide

  • Bell pepper Practical Low, quick crops use the space between slow-growing pepper plants without competing for light.

    Bell pepper guide

  • Hot pepper Practical Low, quick crops use the space between slow-growing pepper plants without competing for light.

    Hot pepper guide

  • Cucumber Practical Lettuce grows in the shade at the foot of a cucumber trellis.

    Cucumber guide

  • Pea Practical Cool-season crops sown at the same time. Greens can sit in the light shade of the pea trellis.

    Pea guide

  • Broccoli Practical Lettuce uses the space between widely spaced brassicas and is picked before they close in.

    Broccoli guide

  • Cauliflower Practical Lettuce uses the space between widely spaced brassicas and is picked before they close in.

    Cauliflower guide

  • Cabbage Practical Lettuce uses the space between widely spaced brassicas and is picked before they close in.

    Cabbage guide

  • Kale Practical Lettuce uses the space between widely spaced brassicas and is picked before they close in.

    Kale guide

  • Brussels sprouts Practical Lettuce uses the space between widely spaced brassicas and is picked before they close in.

    Brussels sprouts guide

  • Bok choy Practical Lettuce uses the space between widely spaced brassicas and is picked before they close in.

    Bok choy guide

  • Kohlrabi Practical Lettuce uses the space between widely spaced brassicas and is picked before they close in.

    Kohlrabi guide

  • Carrot Practical Shallow-rooted lettuce and deep-rooted carrots share a bed without competing.

    Source: Gardening with Companion Plants (EM128E), Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University Extension, 2023. Carrot guide

  • Beet Practical Different shapes and rooting depths; easy to interplant.

    Beet guide

  • Radish Practical Radishes are pulled within a month, leaving room for the lettuce to fill out.

    Radish guide

  • Onion Practical Slim onion foliage casts little shade, so low crops grow between the rows.

    Onion guide

  • Garlic Practical Slim onion foliage casts little shade, so low crops grow between the rows.

    Garlic guide

  • Sunflower Practical Tall crops give lettuce the afternoon shade that slows bolting in summer.

    Sunflower guide

  • Sweet corn Practical Tall crops give lettuce the afternoon shade that slows bolting in summer.

    Sweet corn guide

  • Pole bean Practical Tall crops give lettuce the afternoon shade that slows bolting in summer.

    Pole bean guide

  • Calendula Practical Flowers bring aphid predators into the bed.

    Source: Gardening with Companion Plants (EM128E), Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University Extension, 2023. Calendula guide

  • Strawberry Practical Low plants that don’t shade strawberries and fit around the crowns.

    Strawberry guide

Tradition only 2

On many charts, with little or no evidence.

  • Chives Tradition Said to help Said to keep aphids off lettuce. Aphid repellence by scent has not been shown.

    Chives guide

  • Green onion Tradition Said to help Said to keep aphids off lettuce. Aphid repellence by scent has not been shown.

    Green onion guide

Studied Field or lab research shows an effect, at least under some conditions.
Mixed Some studies find an effect, others don’t, or it only works in a narrow way.
Practical Explained by light, space, timing, support or a shared pest or disease.
Tradition Widely repeated, but with little or no evidence behind it.

See every pairing side by side in the companion planting chart, or try them in a bed with the garden planner.

When to plant lettuce by city

Start lettuce indoors 4–6 weeks before your last frost, plant them out from 2 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost, or sow seed outdoors from 4 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last frost. For a fall crop, sow 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost. Here is what that means for 2027 in cities across the US, using each city’s average frost dates (NOAA 1991–2020). Pick the city with the climate most like yours, or enter your ZIP code above.

City Last frost Start indoors Plant out Sow outdoors Fall crop
Seattle, WA (9a) Mar 13 Jan 30 – Feb 13 Feb 27 – Mar 20 Feb 13 – Mar 27 Sep 22 – Oct 6
Portland, OR (8b) Feb 25 Jan 14–28 Feb 11 – Mar 4 Jan 28 – Mar 11 Oct 6–20
Sacramento, CA (9b) Jan 12 Dec 1–15 Dec 29 – Jan 19 Dec 15 – Jan 26 Oct 21 – Nov 4
Phoenix, AZ (10a) Jan 5 Nov 24 – Dec 8 Dec 22 – Jan 12 Dec 8 – Jan 19 Nov 8–22
Salt Lake City, UT (7b) Mar 31 Feb 17 – Mar 3 Mar 17 – Apr 7 Mar 3 – Apr 14 Sep 13–27
Denver, CO (6a) Apr 30 Mar 19 – Apr 2 Apr 16 – May 7 Apr 2 – May 14 Aug 17–31
Dallas, TX (8b) Mar 2 Jan 19 – Feb 2 Feb 16 – Mar 9 Feb 2 – Mar 16 Oct 4–18
Minneapolis, MN (5a) Apr 23 Mar 12–26 Apr 9–30 Mar 26 – May 7 Aug 21 – Sep 4
Kansas City, MO (6b) Apr 4 Feb 21 – Mar 7 Mar 21 – Apr 11 Mar 7 – Apr 18 Sep 7–21
Chicago, IL (6b) Apr 10 Feb 27 – Mar 13 Mar 27 – Apr 17 Mar 13 – Apr 24 Sep 10–24
Columbus, OH (6b) Apr 20 Mar 9–23 Apr 6–27 Mar 23 – May 4 Aug 29 – Sep 12
Nashville, TN (7b) Apr 1 Feb 18 – Mar 4 Mar 18 – Apr 8 Mar 4 – Apr 15 Sep 5–19
Atlanta, GA (8a) Mar 24 Feb 10–24 Mar 10–31 Feb 24 – Apr 7 Sep 13–27
Raleigh, NC (8a) Mar 28 Feb 14–28 Mar 14 – Apr 4 Feb 28 – Apr 11 Sep 13–27
Philadelphia, PA (7b) Mar 30 Feb 16 – Mar 2 Mar 16 – Apr 6 Mar 2 – Apr 13 Sep 22 – Oct 6
Boston, MA (7a) Apr 4 Feb 21 – Mar 7 Mar 21 – Apr 11 Mar 7 – Apr 18 Sep 14–28

In frost-free parts of Florida, southern California and the Gulf Coast, timing is about heat instead: grow lettuce from fall through winter.

Lettuce spacing

In a square-foot bed, plant 4 per square foot. In traditional rows, space plants about 8 inches apart with 12 inches between rows.

Four leaf lettuces fit in a square foot; give big heading types a whole square each. Shade it in summer.

One square foot planted with lettuce, as drawn in the planner.

How to grow lettuce

Lettuce is quick, easy and happiest in cool weather. Leaf lettuce can be picked a month after sowing, and small sowings every few weeks keep salads coming through spring and fall. Summer heat makes it bolt and turn bitter, so in warm regions it is a spring, fall and even winter crop.

Sun and soil

Full sun in spring and fall; afternoon shade in summer. Fertile, moist, well-drained soil with a pH of about 6.0–7.0. Roots are shallow, so water lightly and often, about 1 inch a week.

Planting

  1. Sow seed very shallowly, ⅛–¼ inch deep, from 4 weeks before to 2 weeks after the last frost. It germinates in soil as cool as 40°F but poorly above 80°F.
  2. Or start transplants indoors 4–6 weeks ahead and set them out from 2 weeks before to 1 week after the last frost.
  3. Thin leaf lettuce to 8 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart (four per square foot); give heading types about 12 inches (one per square).
  4. Sow small batches every 2–3 weeks, and again 6–8 weeks before the first fall frost.

Care

  • Keep the soil consistently moist; water stress and heat make leaves bitter.
  • Mulch to keep soil cool, and use shade cloth for late-spring plantings.
  • Side-dress lightly with nitrogen about 4 weeks after planting.

Harvest

Pick outer leaves of leaf lettuce once they are about 4 inches long, or cut the whole plant an inch above the crown to regrow. Harvest romaine and butterhead as heads begin to firm, and crisphead when the head is solid. Pick in the morning and chill right away. When the center starts to stretch upward, the plant is bolting; harvest it all.

Common problems

  • Bolting and bitterness: Heat and long days trigger flowering. Sow in cool seasons, choose slow-bolting varieties, and shade summer plantings.
  • Tipburn: Brown edges on inner leaves during hot weather or uneven watering. Keep moisture steady.
  • Aphids: Clusters on leaf undersides and in the center. Rinse with water or use insecticidal soap.
  • Slugs: Ragged holes and slime trails. Hand-pick in the evening, use traps, and avoid overwatering.

Varieties to try

  • 'Black Seeded Simpson' — fast, light green leaf lettuce
  • 'Buttercrunch' — butterhead that holds up to heat
  • 'Parris Island Cos' — tall, upright romaine
  • 'Salad Bowl' — oakleaf type, slow to bolt

Crop rotation

Lettuce belong to the daisy family (Asteraceae). Few shared soil problems; fits anywhere in a rotation. Relatives that count as the same family for rotation: red leaf lettuce, sunflower, marigold, calendula, zinnia.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant lettuce?
Start lettuce indoors 4–6 weeks before your last frost, plant them out from 2 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost, or sow seed outdoors from 4 weeks before to 2 weeks after your last frost. For a fall crop, sow 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost. Type your ZIP code above for exact dates, or see the city table.
What grows well with lettuce?
Good neighbors for lettuce include tomato, cherry tomato, bell pepper, hot pepper, cucumber and pea. Each one is listed above with the reason and how strong the evidence is.
How far apart should I plant lettuce?
In rows, space lettuce about 8 inches apart with rows 12 inches apart. In a square-foot bed, plant 4 per square foot.
How long do lettuce take to grow?
About 45–70 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on the variety and the weather.
Can lettuce handle frost?
Lettuce tolerate a light frost but not a hard freeze. Cover them if temperatures will drop into the mid-20s °F.

Sources

More free garden tools

Plan your beds

When to plant

What grows together