Lettuce
Crisp, fast-growing, and endlessly varied, lettuce is the garden's most rewarding quick crop — from seed to salad bowl in weeks.
Lettuce needs its photo.
Identify a Lettuce in Rooted and share it, and yours could become the field guide image.
The Original Garden Staple
Lettuce has been cultivated for at least 5,000 years, traced back to ancient Egypt where it was grown for its oily seeds before leafy forms were selected. Today it spans hundreds of varieties grouped into four main types: looseleaf, butterhead, romaine (cos), and crisphead — each with its own texture, flavor, and harvest style.
A cool-season champion, lettuce thrives in spring and fall when temperatures hover between 45-75 F. It's one of the few vegetables that actually performs better with a little afternoon shade in warmer climates, and its shallow root system makes it a perfect candidate for containers, raised beds, and small-space gardens.
Planting & care
Sow seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before your last frost date, pressing them lightly into the soil surface since they need light to germinate. Thin seedlings to 6-12 inches apart depending on variety. For a continuous harvest, succession-plant every 2-3 weeks through spring and again in late summer for fall crops.
Keep soil consistently moist but never waterlogged — irregular watering causes tip burn and bitterness. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and keep roots cool. Side-dress with a balanced fertilizer or compost tea mid-season. Harvest outer leaves regularly to extend the productive window, or cut the whole head just above the root crown.
Beat the Bolt
When summer heat arrives, lettuce rushes to flower, turning leaves bitter almost overnight. To extend your season, choose slow-bolt varieties like 'Nevada' or 'Jericho', provide afternoon shade with a row cover or taller companion plants, and always prioritize harvesting in the cool of the morning.
How much sun does Lettuce need?
Lettuce grows best in full sun to partial shade.
How often should you water Lettuce?
Give it about 1-1.5 in per week.
When is Lettuce ready to harvest?
Lettuce is usually ready in 45-80 days from seed, depending on type; cut-and-come-again harvests possible from 30 days.