Lettuce Care from Seed to Harvest: A Month-by-Month Guide

Lettuce is a rewarding crop for gardeners at every level—fast to grow, easy to harvest, and perfect for repeat sowing. But to get the most out of each planting, you need to match your care routine to the stage of growth and the season. After growing lettuce year-round for more than 30 years—in raised beds, containers, and even indoors—I’ve learned that a month-by-month approach keeps plants healthy and harvests steady.

This guide breaks down lettuce care from sowing to final harvest by month. You’ll get detailed, experience-based steps to follow whether you’re growing in spring, summer, or fall.

Table of Contents

Month 1: Sowing and Germination

Focus: Seed starting, soil prep, consistent moisture

Direct Sow or Start Indoors: Choose your method based on the season. I start indoors in late winter and direct sow outdoors in early spring or fall.
Ideal Conditions: Lettuce germinates best at 60–65°F. Provide light but don’t bury seeds deeply—just 1/8 inch.
Keep Soil Moist: Water daily or mist trays to prevent drying. Seeds typically germinate in 5–10 days.
Thin Seedlings: Once seedlings are 2 inches tall, thin to ideal spacing based on variety. See my post on thinning lettuce.

What I Do:

I use a seed-starting tray with a humidity dome in winter and a lightly shaded outdoor spot in spring. Both methods give me a 90%+ germination rate.

Month 2: Early Growth and First Harvests

Focus: Fertilizing, spacing, pest prevention

Feed Lightly: Start weekly feedings with diluted fish emulsion or compost tea to encourage lush growth.
Water Consistently: Keep soil evenly moist—lettuce roots are shallow and dry out fast.
Thin Again if Needed: Check spacing to ensure airflow and room for heads to form.
Harvest Baby Greens: If sowing densely, you can start harvesting cut-and-come-again leaves in as little as 30 days.

Tip: Check daily for pests like aphids or slugs, especially in damp or shaded conditions.

Month 3: Maturing Plants and Full-Size Harvests

Focus: Final feeding, watering, full harvest

Harvest Timing: Looseleaf types are ready in 30–40 days, romaine and heads in 60–75 days.
Harvest Techniques: Cut outer leaves for continuous harvests, or cut whole heads at the base.
Water and Feed: Keep up with watering. One final feeding can encourage regrowth if you’re doing multiple cuts.

What I Do:

In my raised beds, I often harvest a full head of romaine at 55–60 days if grown in rich composted soil with steady moisture.

Month 4: Bolting and Cleanup

Focus: Succession planting, removing bolting plants

Watch for Bolting: As days get longer and warmer, lettuce may start to elongate and taste bitter.
Pull and Replant: Remove bolted plants and refresh the soil with compost before replanting.
Shade Summer Plantings: In hot weather, use shade cloth or interplant with taller crops to delay bolting.

Tip: Sow a new crop every 2–3 weeks for continuous harvests all season long.

Season-by-Season Adjustments

Spring: Focus on fast-maturing varieties and early sowing. Watch for sudden heat spikes.
Summer: Choose heat-tolerant types and grow in shade. Use cold water for irrigation and frequent harvests to reduce bitterness.
Fall: Sow again in late summer for fall crops. Protect young seedlings from heat with shade cloth, then from cold with row cover.
Winter (Mild Climates or Indoors): Use cold frames or grow lights for baby greens. Water less, but keep light levels consistent.

Final Thoughts

Caring for lettuce from seed to harvest is all about timing, observation, and flexibility. By adjusting your watering, feeding, and planting schedule month by month—and by season—you’ll enjoy a steady supply of tender, delicious greens. Whether you’re growing in a backyard garden or on a sunny windowsill, this month-by-month guide will help you harvest lettuce with confidence.

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