How to Grow Lettuce and Leafy Greens

Pick the right type

Lettuce falls into a few basic types. Loose-leaf lettuce is the easiest, because you can pick outer leaves and the plant keeps growing. Romaine forms upright heads, and butterhead forms soft, loose heads. Spinach, kale, and arugula are equally easy leafy greens with similar care. For beginners, a loose-leaf mix gives the most harvest for the least effort.

Sow in cool weather

Lettuce is a cool-season crop that bolts, or goes to seed and turns bitter, in summer heat. Sow seeds outdoors in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, and again in late summer for a fall crop. Plant seeds shallow — just a quarter inch deep — and thin seedlings to a few inches apart once they sprout. In hot climates, give lettuce afternoon shade.

Water and feed

Lettuce has shallow roots, so it needs consistent moisture to stay tender and sweet. Water regularly so the soil stays damp but not soggy, and mulch lightly to hold moisture. Greens aren't heavy feeders, but a bit of compost or a diluted balanced fertilizer every few weeks keeps them growing quickly.

Harvest the right way

For loose-leaf lettuce, harvest by snipping the outer leaves with scissors, leaving the center to keep growing. For heading types, cut the whole head at the base when it's firm. Harvest in the morning when leaves are crispest, and wash and dry them well before storing. Picking regularly actually encourages more growth.

Keep pests away

Slugs and snails love lettuce as much as you do. Hand-pick them in the evening, set out shallow traps, or use a ring of crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth around plants. Row covers also keep out aphids and flea beetles while letting in light and water.

Deal with common lettuce problems

Bolting is the most common complaint — lettuce sends up a flower stalk and turns bitter when the weather gets hot or the days get long. Slow it down by planting heat-tolerant varieties, giving afternoon shade, and keeping the soil moist. Once a plant bolts, harvest what you can and pull it, because the leaves won't improve.

Tip burn, where the edges of leaves turn brown, is usually a sign of uneven moisture or a calcium shortage caused by dry soil. Steady watering and a little compost usually prevent it. Healthy, fast-growing lettuce rarely suffers from either problem.

Grow greens in summer heat

While lettuce prefers cool weather, you can still grow it through summer with a few tricks. Choose heat-tolerant varieties labeled slow-bolting, give plants afternoon shade with a shade cloth or a taller crop, and keep the soil consistently moist. These steps delay bolting and keep leaves tender.

Alternatively, switch to heat-loving greens like Swiss chard and Malabar spinach during the hottest months, then return to lettuce as temperatures cool in late summer.

Store harvested greens well

Fresh-picked greens keep best when washed, thoroughly dried, and stored loosely in a container in the fridge. Excess moisture makes them wilt and rot quickly, so dry them well. Harvest in the morning when leaves are crisp, and greens will stay fresh for several days.

Grow lettuce indoors in winter

Lettuce also grows well indoors under a bright window or a simple grow light, giving you fresh greens through winter. Use a shallow container with good drainage, sow seeds thickly, and harvest as baby greens. It's a satisfying way to keep growing even when the outdoor garden is dormant.