Lettuce (leaf): Spacing, Yield & Planting Dates
Plant count & yield calculator
Pre-filled for this crop — adjust bed size or pick a different vegetable.
Enter bed size to count plants.
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Show the math & assumptions
Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
Seed starting dates
Pre-filled last frost — change the date to rebuild the full crop schedule. For Lettuce (leaf) with this frost date : start indoors ~Mar 18, transplant ~Apr 1, direct sow ~Mar 18 .
Pick a last frost date for the schedule.
Your result
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Show the math & assumptions
Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
About lettuce (leaf)
Leaf lettuce delivers the fastest salad harvest in the garden, ready for cut-and-come-again picking in as little as 45 days from sowing.
Spacing & yield
Lettuce (leaf) wants 6×9 inches and about 0.5 lb per plant at ~45 days to maturity.
Growing tips
- Scatter-sow or thin to 6 inches for full-size plants, or grow at 3 inches for baby greens.
- Use successive sowings every 2 weeks for non-stop salad from spring through fall.
- Harvest outer leaves first to keep the crown producing new growth.
- Provide afternoon shade in warm climates to delay bolting by a week or more.
Common mistakes
- Letting soil dry completely between waterings, causing bitterness.
- Waiting to harvest until the center stalk elongates — that signals bolting.
Harvest & storage
Begin snipping outer leaves when they reach 4-5 inches long, starting as early as 45 days from sowing.
Rinse, spin dry, and store in a sealed container with a paper towel for up to one week.
Companion planting
Good neighbors for lettuce (leaf): radish, carrots, strawberries, chives, onions. Avoid planting beside: celery.
Planting calendar
Start indoors about 4 weeks before last frost, then transplant 2 weeks before frost. Direct sow is also an option around 4 weeks before frost. Use the seed-starting calculator above with your real county frost date — the April 15 default is only a worked example (zone 6 style).
Estimates only — consult your local extension office for advice specific to your land and animals.
Frequently asked questions
- How close can leaf lettuce be planted?
- Space 6 inches apart in rows 9 inches apart for full heads, or broadcast at 2-3 inches for baby greens.
- How much does one leaf lettuce plant produce?
- About 0.5 lb of harvestable leaves over repeated cut-and-come-again pickings.
- How quickly can I harvest leaf lettuce?
- Baby leaves are ready in about 30 days; full-size plants reach peak at roughly 45 days from sowing.