When to plant
lettuce in the UK
Sow a short row every 2 weeks and you'll never buy a supermarket bag again. Pick outer leaves to keep it going.
Growing journey
8 weeks from planting out to harvest · Start indoors 4 weeks before planting out
Get lettuce seeds
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What lettuce need
Partial shade in summer stops it bolting. Regular water.
Spacing
25cm between plants
Give each plant room to spread. Overcrowding reduces yield.
Varieties to try
Good companions
When to sow lettuce
Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.
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Where to buy lettuce seeds
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What you'll need for lettuce
The stuff beginners wish they'd bought sooner.
Each seedling gets its own root space. Less root disturbance when planting out means faster establishment.
More in our equipment guide →Lettuce bolts in hot sun. A bit of shade extends the harvest by weeks in summer. Most beginners plant in full sun and wonder why it all goes to seed in July.
Ferric phosphate — pet-safe and organic-approved. Young plants are slug magnets. One night can finish them.
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Get your exact dates
Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for lettuce.
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