Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
8 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Sow
- Mid February to mid September
- Plant out
- Mid March to late September
- Ready in
- 28–98 days
- Site
- 4+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–6.5
- Biggest risk
- Grey mould
In the UK, lettuce are sown mid February to mid September, planted out mid March to late September, and are ready to harvest 28–98 days after sowing.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa).
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Watch: Growing Lettuce at Home
A quick SoilCommander video on growing lettuce at home in a small space — turning a recycled plastic bottle into a planter for fresh, cut-and-come-again salad leaves.
At a Glance
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6 - 6.5 |
| Sunlight | 4-4 hours direct sun |
| Germination temp | 16C |
| Optimal growing temp | 12-21C |
| Minimum survivable temp | -1C |
| Time to harvest | 28-98 days |
| Soil texture | Clemson: "loamy soil with a high organic matter content". RHS: "fertile, moisture-retentive soil"; dig in plenty of garden compost to help retain moisture. |
| Drainage | Moisture-retentive rather than free-draining; RHS advises keeping the soil consistently moist. |
| Edible parts | leaves |
Regional Planting Calendar
| Region | Sow | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Southern England | mid February to mid September | mid March to late September |
| Midlands derived | early March to early September | early April to late September |
| Northern England derived | mid March to late August | mid April to mid September |
| Scotland derived | mid March to late August | mid April to early September |
Rows marked derived are interpolated between regions our sources do state, because no source we consulted gives a figure for that region specifically. They are deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty.
Southern England - detail & sources
RHS: sow indoors from early February for an early crop, outdoors from late March to late July for summer and autumn, and in August-September (with cloches or a winter variety) for winter and spring pickings; sow a short row every fortnight. Southern England has the UK's mildest, longest season and earliest soil-warming (Met Office), so the earliest under-cover starts and latest autumn sowings apply here.
Midlands - detail & sources
DERIVED: based on the RHS late-March to late-July main outdoor window plus February indoor and August-September winter sowings, shifted a little later at each end than southern England because the Midlands warm and pass the last frost slightly later (Met Office south-to-north gradient). Succession sow every fortnight; use cloches to extend both ends.
Northern England - detail & sources
DERIVED: interpolated later than the Midlands -- start sowing outdoors from about mid-March once soil warms, as Northern England warms later and sees later last frosts (Met Office). Finish summer sowings by late August so autumn crops mature before the cold; cloches help at both ends. Based on the RHS sowing windows.
Scotland - detail & sources
DERIVED: Scotland has the UK's latest soil-warming and shortest season (Met Office), so sow from about mid-March under cover and finish summer sowings by mid-August; grow under cloches or fleece at the season ends and choose fast, bolt-resistant varieties. Based on the RHS sowing windows.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing & Germination | 0 | Sow lettuce seed thinly, about 1cm (half an inch) deep, in rows 30cm (1ft) apart -- either direct where it is to grow or in modules to transplant (RHS). Lettuce is a cool-season crop: seed germinates best around 16C and can go dormant and fail in soil above about 25C, so in high summer sow in the cooler late afternoon or in light shade and keep the ground moist (RHS, Clemson). Sow from late March to late July outdoors for summer and autumn crops, from early February indoors for an early crop, and in August to September with cloches or a hardy winter variety for winter and spring pickings. Sow a short row every two weeks for a continuous supply, and thin or plant out to about 15cm apart for loose-leaf types and 30cm for hearting types (RHS). |
| Leaf Growth | 1 | Seedlings form a rosette of leaves that expands quickly. Keep the soil consistently moist -- lettuce is shallow-rooted and quickly checks or bolts if it dries out -- and water early in the day (RHS). Keep beds weed-free and protect young plants from slugs and snails, which are the main problem for lettuce (RHS). Loose-leaf and cut-and-come-again types can be picked from this stage, in as little as four to six weeks from sowing (RHS). |
| Hearting | 4 | Butterhead, cos and crisphead types now draw their leaves together into a firm heart, while loose-leaf types simply build a fuller rosette. Steady moisture and cool conditions give the best hearts; heat and drought cause loose or bitter hearts and trigger early bolting (Clemson). Feed hungry hearting types if growth is slow and keep watering even and regular (RHS). |
| Harvest | 4 | Harvest hearting lettuces when the heart feels firm, cutting through the stem and leaving a stump about 2.5cm (1in) tall (RHS); hearting types take roughly 10 to 14 weeks from sowing. Pick loose-leaf types by snipping a few outer leaves from each plant as needed, or cut all the top growth at once -- these are ready in as little as four to six weeks (RHS). Harvest in the cool of the morning when the leaves are crisp, and lift plants before they run to seed. Lettuce does not store well, so keep it in the fridge and use within a few days (Clemson). |
| Bolting & Flowering | 6 | If left too long, or stressed by heat and drought, lettuce bolts -- the stem elongates rapidly, the leaves turn bitter, and the plant sends up small pale-yellow, dandelion-like flowers (RHS). Choose bolt-resistant varieties and keep plants cool and evenly watered to delay it. Once a plant has bolted it is best cleared, though you can leave one or two to flower for pollinators or to save seed. |
| Seed & Senescence | 9 | Flowers give way to small seeds carried on fluffy, dandelion-like parachutes; lettuce is self-pollinating, so seed saved from a favourite variety comes largely true to type (Clemson). Left in place, plants self-seed readily. Clear spent plants to the compost at the end of the season and move lettuce around the plot from year to year to reduce the build-up of soil-borne diseases. |
Harvest & Storage
Diseases
Pests
Nutrient Issues
Lettuce, Leaf to Seed
References
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Tier 1. Primary UK source for sowing time, depth, spacing, thinning, watering, harvest and types.
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Tier 1. US extension corroboration for cool-season culture, heat-induced dormancy/bolting, and storage.
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Tier 1. US extension corroboration for home lettuce culture and succession sowing.
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Tier 1. RHS source for lettuce downy mildew (Bremia lactucae).
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Tier 1. RHS source; names lettuce among CMV hosts.
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Tier 1. RHS source for grey mould (Botrytis) on lettuce.
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Tier 1. UK climate context for the south-to-north sowing gradient and late-frost risk.
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Tier 1. International agronomic ranges (temperature, pH).
8 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant lettuce out in the UK?
In southern England, from mid March. In northern England and Scotland, wait until mid April. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to plant out only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow lettuce?
Sow mid February to mid September, at around 16°C for germination.
How long do lettuce take to grow?
Typically 28–98 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH do lettuce need?
A pH of about 6–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect lettuce?
Our data links 3 diseases and 3 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
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Tools That Help With This Crop
Use these links when the guide moves from reading into sowing, planting, watering, and keeping the crop healthy.
Plan the next step
Use the printable UK Vegetable Garden Planner to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts, and weekly garden tasks.