Lettuce Growing Guide: from seed to kitchen

Lettuce Growing Guide

The essential guide to growing lettuce from seed; with notes on germination, cultivation, harvest and even kitchen uses.

Taste & Kitchen Role of Each Type

Crisphead / Iceberg – tight, crunchy pale hearts; classic burger, taco and wedge‑salad crunch.
Butterhead (Bibb / Boston) – soft, velvety leaves, delicate sweetness; perfect lettuce cups and gourmet sandwiches.
Cos / Romaine – upright, juicy ribs, robust flavour; Caesar salads, grilling halves on the barbecue.
Batavia / Summer Crisp – crisp yet tender, slight nuttiness; holds texture in warm salads, sandwiches.
Loose‑leaf / Oakleaf – frilly, fast‑growing, mild; pick‑and‑come‑again greens for mixed salads.

Seeds per Gram: 700 – 1 000 seeds

Germination Temperature: 18 – 20 °C (dormancy above 25 °C)

Feed Requirements:

Moderate.
Incorporate 3 cm compost plus a balanced organic fertiliser before sowing.
A light side‑dress of compost two weeks after thinning keeps leaves lush.

Growing Notes:

Climate & Timing

Cool & temperate zones: sow August – May; choose heat‑tolerant leaf or cos forms for midsummer.
Sub‑tropics: autumn–winter sowing is easiest; use bolt‑resistant cultivars plus shade cloth for summer.
Successive sowings every 3–4 weeks ensure year‑round salads.

Sowing & Spacing

Direct: cover seed 3–5 mm deep. Thin to 30 cm (leaf) or 40 cm (cos & heads); rows 40 cm apart.
Transplants: start in cells 4 – 6 weeks early; prick out promptly to avoid root damage. Harden off and plant at the same spacings.

Water & Soil

Shallow roots demand consistent moisture.
Never let soil dry out or bitterness and premature bolting follow.
Mulch lightly to retain moisture.

Heat & Light Management

Seed can enter thermal dormancy above 25 °C.
In hot weather sow in the evening, pre‑chill seed in the fridge 24 h, or start in a cool indoor spot.
Afternoon shade or 30 % shade cloth helps summer crops.

Common Problems:

Slugs & snails: hand‑pick, use pellets, beer traps on beds.
Aphids: blast with water, encourage ladybirds, use insecticidal soap.
Bolting: sow heat‑tolerant varieties, keep water up, shade in extreme heat.
Bitter leaves: result of moisture stress, heat or over‑maturity—harvest promptly and keep plants hydrated.

Harvesting & Storage:

Leaf & oakleaf: begin cutting outer leaves 25 – 35 days after sowing; never strip more than one‑third of the plant at a time. 'Cut & come again' varieties that provide a longer harvest period.
Head & cos: harvest whole when hearts feel firm. Cut at soil line early morning while crisp.
Store heads unwashed in a perforated bag in the crisper at 1 – 4 °C for up to a week; leaf types are best eaten within three days.

Plentiful water, rich soil and regular sowings will keep your Australian kitchen in a steady supply of fresh, chlorine‑free greens—crisper and tastier than anything wrapped in plastic