Growing lettuce in a backyard garden is easy for any skill level. With its quick growth, minimal space requirements, and variety of textures and flavors, lettuce provides a rewarding experience for all gardeners Whether you choose to grow head lettuce (like romaine or butterhead) or leaf lettuce (that you can cut over and over again), each type has specific care needs that can impact the final yield. Here’s a guide to get you started with both types and tips to make your garden thrive.
Getting Started with Lettuce
Lettuce thrives in cool weather, typically between 60°F and 70°F, making it ideal for early spring or fall gardening. When temperatures are consistently above 80°F, lettuce will tend to bolt, (go to seed prematurely) and develop a bitter taste. This is why it's best grown in the cooler months.
Preparing the Soil for Planting Lettuce
As is the case with most vegetables, lettuce plants prefer well-drained, fertile soil. Before planting, incorporate compost and Coop Gro Organic Fertilizer into the soil. Loose, crumbly soil helps lettuce roots spread easily, while compost enriches the soil with essential nutrients. If you're working with clay-heavy or compacted soil, consider using raised beds or containers, which can provide better drainage and root aeration.
Head Lettuce vs. Leaf Lettuce: Key Differences
Head lettuces like romaine and butterhead will form tight, crisp heads. Head lettuce provides a single harvest. Leaf lettuces grow loose, tender leaves that can be harvested several times throughout the season. Leaf lettuce is commonly referred to as a "cut and come again" type vegetable because you can cut the leaves and it will continue to grow back for repeat harvests.
Growing Head Lettuce
Starting Head Lettuce
Head lettuce requires more patience than leaf varieties, as it takes longer to mature. You can start seeds indoors 4–6 weeks before the last frost date to give them a head start, especially if you're in a region with a short growing season. Transplant them outdoors once they have three to four true leaves and nighttime temperatures stay above 45°F.
Spacing and Watering
Plant head lettuce 12–18 inches apart to allow ample room for the heads to form. Head lettuce has shallow roots, so keep the soil consistently moist without over-saturating, as this can lead to rot. A light, frequent watering schedule works best, especially during dry spells.
Harvesting Head Lettuce
Head lettuce is ready for harvest when the heads feel firm and reach full size, typically 60–80 days after planting. Use a sharp knife to cut the plant at the base, leaving a short stem behind. Once harvested, head lettuce doesn’t regrow. So if you want a continuous supply, stagger your planting every couple of weeks.
Growing Leaf Lettuce
Direct Seeding for Leaf Lettuce
Leaf lettuce can be sown directly in the garden as early as two weeks before the last frost. Leaf lettuce does not require as much space, so you can simply scatter the seeds densely over your garden bed. This loose, clustered growth style allows for easy, ongoing harvesting.
Thinning and Watering
Once the seedlings are a few inches tall, thin them to provide a few inches of space between plants. Thinning helps reduce overcrowding and improves air circulation, which can help prevent disease. Water regularly, especially if you're growing in warmer weather, as leaf lettuce can become bitter when stressed.
Harvesting Leaf Lettuce
Leaf lettuce is highly versatile. You can start harvesting as soon as the leaves are big enough to eat, usually within 30–40 days after planting. Simply cut the outer leaves, leaving the inner leaves to continue growing, or trim the whole plant back to an inch above the soil, and it will regrow for multiple harvests.
Common Tips for Both Types of Lettuce
Mulch and Shade Protection
Applying a thin layer of mulch around your lettuce plants helps retain soil moisture and keeps roots cool. For head lettuce especially, mulching is beneficial because it prevents soil from splashing onto the leaves, which can lead to rot and disease.
Fertilization
Because lettuce grows so fast, it doesn't have a high nutrient demand. Applying Coop Gro at planting is usually enough to grow beautiful heads of lettuce. For leaf lettuce, consider adding another sprinkle of Coop Gro after each harvest to ensure healthy, continual production.
Pest Management
Aphids, slugs, and snails are common pests that target lettuce. Consider using organic methods like neem oil for aphids or diatomaceous earth around the plants to deter slugs and snails. Floating row covers also protect young plants from pests and can keep temperatures down during unexpected warm spells.
Bolting Prevention
Bolting (premature flowering) can occur if temperatures rise too quickly. Providing partial shade or planting in an area with afternoon shade can help keep the soil cooler and reduce the likelihood of bolting. For head lettuce, bolting often results in reduced head formation, so keeping plants cool is key.
Maximizing Your Harvest
For a continuous lettuce harvest, plant new seeds every two to three weeks, especially if you’re growing leaf lettuce. This technique, called succession planting, ensures that you always have fresh leaves to pick as older plants reach maturity or begin to decline in quality. Head lettuce can also benefit from succession planting, especially in cooler climates.