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Leafy Greens · Cool season

Lettuce

Leaf lettuce

Lettuce: crop reference photographCrop reference
Sun

Full sun to part shade; 4–6+ hours of direct sun, with afternoon shade helpful in heat.

Water

Aim for about 1 inch of water per week including rain; check soil 1 inch down and water at the roots when it begins to dry. Raised beds may need more frequent watering in heat. Keep moist, never waterlogged.

Spacing

6–8 in

Difficulty

Easy–Moderate

Planting and care

How to grow lettuce

When to grow

Cool season · Annual

How to start

Direct seed or transplant

Mature size

6–36 in depending crop

Time to harvest

Baby leaves: 25–35 days from seed; full heads: 45–75 days from seed, or roughly 30–50 days after transplant.

Feeding needs

Moderate feeder

Growth habit

Leafy Compact

How to prune

Remove yellow or damaged outer leaves. Do not cut the central growing point when growing for repeat leaf harvests. Remove bolting plants when flavor turns bitter.

How to harvest

Snip outer leaves once 4–6 inches long, leaving the center to regrow; take no more than about one-third at a time. For a whole head, cut at the soil line when firm and full.

Harvest and kitchen use

Salads, sautés, wraps or cooked greens depending crop

Nutrition and garden value

Leafy greens provide folate and vitamins A/K; nutrient profile varies by crop

Space-efficient; many tolerate shoulder seasons and succession planting

Common challenges and troubleshooting

Heat bolting, slugs, flea beetles or leaf miners depending crop