How to grow lettuce in a raised bed
Pick the outer leaves and the plant keeps growing. Bolts (turns bitter) in hot weather.
Spacing4 plants per square foot
How to startSow seeds right in the bed
When to plantAbout 4 weeks before your last spring frost
Time to harvestAbout 50 days
Grows toAbout 8 in tall
When to plant lettuce in your zone
Dates are based on the average frost dates for each zone. Don't know your zone? Enter your ZIP code in the planner.
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the bed | Plant again for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | — | Apr 22 | Jul 8 |
| Zone 3b | — | Apr 17 | Jul 13 |
| Zone 4a | — | Apr 14 | Jul 19 |
| Zone 4b | — | Apr 10 | Jul 26 |
| Zone 5a | — | Apr 6 | Jul 31 |
| Zone 5b | — | Mar 31 | Aug 7 |
| Zone 6a | — | Mar 25 | Aug 12 |
| Zone 6b | — | Mar 18 | Aug 17 |
| Zone 7a | — | Mar 11 | Aug 24 |
| Zone 7b | — | Mar 4 | Aug 31 |
| Zone 8a | — | Feb 25 | Sep 7 |
| Zone 8b | — | Feb 15 | Sep 15 |
| Zone 9a | — | Feb 1 | Sep 28 |
| Zone 9b | — | Jan 18 | Oct 7 |
| Zone 10a | — | Jan 3 | Oct 17 |
| Zone 10b | — | Dec 18 | Oct 28 |
Tips for raised beds
- In square-foot gardening, plant 4 plants in each 1 × 1 ft square.
- It stays fairly short, so it can go near the south (sunny) edge of the bed.
- Most vegetables and fruit need at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
Where to buy lettuce seeds
Burpee · True Leaf Market · Botanical Interests
Plan where your lettuce go. Pick your bed size and material, choose your plants, and get a printable plan with measurements, a shopping list and planting dates for your ZIP code. Free, no sign-up.
Open the free planner →