🥬 Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
vegetables
leafy green
☀️ Sun
Full sun in cool weather; partial shade in warm weather (shade delays bolting in summer); 4, 6 hours sufficient
💧 Water
Medium, high; 1 inch per week; consistent moisture for tender, non-bitter leaves; water stress causes bolting and bitterness
🗺️ Zones
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
🧪 Soil pH
6.0, 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
🪴 Soil Type
Rich, moisture-retentive loam with high organic matter; lettuce is shallow-rooted and needs consistent access to nutrients near the surface
🚿 Drainage
Moisture-retentive but not waterlogged; lettuce thrives in consistently moist soil
📏 Spacing
Loose-leaf: 4, 6 inches apart; romaine/butterhead: 8, 10 inches; crisphead/iceberg: 12, 14 inches; rows 12, 18 inches apart
⏱️ Maturity
30-50 days (from seed) for leaf lettuce; 55-75 days for head lettuce
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Leaves
🍽️ Heart (core , edible, slightly bitter)
🍽️ Stems (lettuce stem lettuce/celtuce , different variety, Liang ye wosun)
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (18)
Arugula's peppery oils deter some lettuce pests; both are quick-growing salad greens.
Basil repels aphids and mosquitoes near lettuce; may improve lettuce flavor.
Lettuce shades beet roots and suppresses weeds; both are cool-season companions.
Bok choy and lettuce share similar growing needs; quick companions for salad beds.
Caraway attracts beneficial insects that protect lettuce; biennial that flowers in second year.
Lettuce and carrots share water/soil needs; lettuce is shallow-rooted, carrots are deep; lettuce shades soil keeping carrot roots cool
Chervil improves lettuce growth and deters slugs; traditional salad garden companion.
Repels aphids; may improve lettuce flavor
Lettuce grows in the shade of trellised cucumbers; cucumbers benefit from lettuce's ground cover
Dill attracts beneficial insects that prey on lettuce aphids; provide some afternoon shade.
Lettuce provides living mulch for kohlrabi; both are cool-season crops that pair well.
Trap crop for aphids; repels whiteflies IMPORTANT management caveat: without active management, nasturtiums can become a SOURCE of aphids that migrate to nearby crops. Either remove aphid-infested nasturtium plants promptly, or treat the trap crop itself to eliminate the aphid colony before it spreads. Strategic placement within 4-5 feet of protected crops is key.
Onions repel aphids and slugs from lettuce; complementary root depths
Lettuce shades parsnip seedlings and marks rows; parsnips' deep roots don't compete with lettuce.
Radishes mark rows for slow-germinating lettuce; radishes are harvested before lettuce needs space; radishes repel flea beetles
Lettuce grows well under strawberries; strawberries act as living mulch; both prefer cooler conditions
Lettuce benefits from sunflower's dappled shade in summer; sunflowers attract pollinators.
Swiss chard's tall leaves provide partial shade for lettuce in warm weather; compatible root zones.
⚠️ Keep Apart (3)
⚠️ Brassicas (conflicting)
Some sources say brassicas release root exudates that inhibit lettuce germination; others report no effect
Allelopathic
Some sources report parsley may cause lettuce to bolt prematurely (conflicting evidence)
💊 Medicinal Uses
Medicinal Properties
- Contains lactucarium ('lettuce opium') , mild sedative/sleep aid (much milder than historical claims); wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) is more potent
- Good source of vitamin A and vitamin K
- High water content , hydrating; very low calorie
- Contains small amounts of folate and manganese
📝 Growing Notes
Four main types: Loose-leaf (cut-and-come-again), Romaine/Cos (upright, crunchy), Butterhead/Bibb (loose heads, tender), Crisphead/Iceberg (tight heads, crunchy). Lettuce is a cool-season crop , bolts quickly in heat (above 75°F). Succession plant every 2 weeks for continuous harvest. Cut-and-come-again harvesting extends production (cut outer leaves, leave center). Seed needs light to germinate , surface sow or barely cover.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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