How to Grow Lettuce

Are you new to vegetable gardening? You should definitely learn how to grow lettuce!

It's easy to care for, grows quickly, and doesn't take up a lot of space.

In this article I share my best tips for growing and harvesting lettuce, in both containers and raised beds.

If you’re new to gardening, one of the first vegetables that you should try growing is lettuce!

It's one of the easiest crops for a beginner to grow, and homegrown lettuce tastes so much better than store-bought lettuce.

Jump to Section:

• Growing Requirements
• Choosing the Right Variety
• Selecting a Location
• How to Grow Lettuce from Seeds
• How to Plant Lettuce Seedlings
• Which Fertilizer to Use
• Watering Tips
• How to Harvest Lettuce
• How to Prepare and Store
• Frequently Asked Questions

This low-maintenance crop can easily be grown in containers or raised beds, making it a great addition to kitchen gardens of all sizes.

While there are many different varieties of lettuce out there, the growing requirements are going to be similar for all of them.

Choosing the Right Variety

There are many different varieties of lettuce that you can select from, but how do you know which one is right for you?

First, think about what you usually buy from the grocery. If you're partial to romaine or iceberg, that's a great place to start.

Another consideration is when you want to grow the lettuce.

If you're planning on growing your lettuce in the cooler months, you might want a butterhead lettuce that enjoys cooler temperatures.

If you'd rather have lettuce throughout the warm months of summer, try romaine or little gem lettuce. While most lettuce prefer cool weather, these two have better heat tolerance than most if planted in the right spot.

Once you have an idea of what you're looking for, you can order your seeds from your favourite seed company or grab a packet from your local garden centre.

Selecting a Location

Lettuce needs about 4 hours of sunlight a day, which isn’t a lot. This gives you a bit of flexibility when selecting where to plant your lettuce.

However, it’s important to note that the time of year makes a big difference here.

In cooler weather, lettuce can be grown in full sun without issue (although you may have to occasionally protect them from frost).

Once those hot temperatures come along, though, you’ll want to make sure that your lettuce is in a shady place.

Most lettuce cannot tolerate very hot weather. The tender leaves can burn, or the entire plant will bolt.

What is bolting? Bolting in lettuce is caused by high temperatures. This causes the center of the lettuce to shoot up a tall stalk, and makes the lettuce taste very bitter.

Planting in Containers

Growing lettuce in containers has some benefits.

First, it's easy to move a small container around. This allows you to easily adjust how much direct sun your lettuce gets each day.

Second, you almost never have to deal with weeds when you grow in containers.

Third, I had little to no pests on my lettuce when I grew them in these terra cotta bowls!

You can grow lettuce in a fabric bag, terra cotta pot, plastic pot... pretty much anything you like, so long as it has good drainage.

For best results your container should be at least 15 centimetres deep (6 inches) and about 30 centimetres in diameter (12 inches).

How to Grow Lettuce from Seeds

If you want to grow your lettuce from seed, you can either start them indoors or direct sow them outside.

To get a jump start on your growing season, start your lettuce seeds indoors about 8 weeks before your last frost date.

When we start seeds indoors, we give plants a chance to germinate and grow under ideal conditions. I like to do this with lettuce because it guarantees that I'll have healthy strong seedlings to plant outdoors.

Tip: I have an entire blog post on how to start seeds that walks you through the process, so please check that out!

How to Direct Sow Lettuce Seeds

If you'd rather plant your lettuce seeds directly into containers or raised beds, here's how I do it.

1. Fill your container with a good quality potting mix (I like ProMix Organic)
2. Add a handful of worm castings, if desired.
3. Add an all-purpose or high-nitrogen fertilizer to the soil according to package instructions. Mix well.
4. Sprinkle seeds lightly on the surface of the soil. Aim for 3-4 lettuce plants for a small container, or 4 plants per square foot in a raised bed.
5. Cover seeds lightly with soil.
6. Moisten with the mist setting on your hose.
7. Keep moist to ensure good germination.

The length of time it takes for the seeds to germinate will depend on the soil temperature.

How to Plant Lettuce Seedlings

Buying seedlings from your local nursery is an easy way to for beginners to start growing lettuce.

If this is your first growing year, I would recommend that you just buy seedlings. You can level up to starting your own seeds next year.

Here's how to plant a lettuce seedling, whether you grew it yourself or bought it:

1. Dig a hole in the soil large enough for the width of your seedling. You won't need to plant it very deep, as lettuce roots are generally shallow. Or fill your desired container with potting soil. Aim for 3-4 lettuce plants for a small container, or 4 plants per square foot in a raised bed.
2. Add a handful of worm castings to your container or the section of the raised bed that you will be planting in.
3. Add an all-purpose or high-nitrogen fertilizer to the soil according to package instructions. Mix well.
4. Remove your seedlings from its container, and place into the hole. Fill soil back into the hole, and press it down around the plant with your hands.
5. Water the plant well to help the roots establish.

Lettuce can survive in soil temperatures as low as 5 degrees Celsius, so you can typically plant them out pretty early.

Tip: Plant lettuce every 2 weeks for a continuous harvest.

Which Fertilizer to Use

I grow all of my edible plants in ProMix Organic potting mix, which already has some plant food built into it.

Additionally, I like to add Gaia Green All Purpose fertilizer to the soil, as well as a handful of Gaia Green worm castings (a.k.a. worm poop).

This combination helps to feed the lettuce as it grows.

One nutrient that is particularly good for leafy greens is nitrogen. Nitrogen helps to promote healthy leaf and stem growth.

Two good sources of nitrogen are feather meal and alfalfa meal, but these can be difficult to find in my area.

Luckily, these are actually two of the main ingredients in the Gaia Green Organics all-purpose fertilizer.

Watering Tips

Lettuce needs water to maintain it's crisp texture. Water plants a few times a week, making sure that the soil stays moist but is not soaking wet.

If the first inch of soil has dried out, it's definitely time to water your lettuce.

Unlike plants that have deep roots, lettuce does not benefit from a weekly deep watering.

Tip: If you see aphids on your lettuce, spray them off a strong stream of water from your hose!

How to Harvest Lettuce

While there really isn't a wrong or right way to harvest lettuce, here are a few popular methods that you can try.

Cut and Come Again

Early in the season, you can use a harvesting method called "cut and come again".

Using a knife or scissors, cut off the largest outer leaves. Be careful not to damage the crown (the middle of the plant), and don't remove more than a third of the plant at once.

Your lettuce should keep growing from the center and you can come back and cut off more leaves in a few days.

Remove All Leaves at Once

If you want a fast way to harvest a lot of lettuce at once, you can simply cut them all off (but there's a catch!).

Grab a large sharp knife and measure about 3 inches up from the bottom of the soil. This is where you will cut the lettuce off.

By leaving a few inches of growth, the lettuce will be able to regrow new leaves after a few weeks.

Remove the Entire Head of Lettuce

At the end of the season, or when you want to remove the lettuce to plant other things, you can cut the head off at the soil level.

Use a sharp knife to cut the root off at the base of the lettuce, and remove the entire head intact.

You can dig up the remaining roots in the soil and discard them.

Most varieties of lettuce should be harvested at 30 centimetres tall (12 inches), but smaller varieties, like Little Gem, should be harvested at about 15 centimetres in height (6 inches).

Tip: Harvest your lettuce first thing in the morning when the weather is cooler for crisp lettuce leaves. Wash and store them promptly to avoid wilting.

How to Prepare and Store

When you bring your lettuce inside, cut the root off and discard it.

Wash the leaves carefully, checking for any potential insects.

Dry the leaves in a lettuce spinner, or with a dish towel. Make sure your lettuce is as dry as possible before storing, but be careful not to bruise the leaves.

Store whole leaves in a container or zip-top bag with a dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture.

The leaves should stay fresh in your refrigerator for about a week.

Recipe Idea: Make my Nicoise Salad with a soft lettuce like Buttercrunch!

Frequently Asked Questions