When to plant lettuce
Lettuce in November
Open this month in 2 of 17 zones, from each zone's median frost dates. Tap your zone for its exact dates.
The rule
Days to maturity: 60–85 days [src]
Method: Start indoors or direct-sow. Frost tolerance: frost-hardy (derived from the planting timing above).
Because lettuce is frost-hardy and matures in about 60–85 days, it's a strong fall crop — count back from your first frost (the zone table gives your date, from May in Zone 2a through October in Zone 10b).
What you'll need
Affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Seed-starting traysBurpee SuperSeed 36-cell trayReusable cells that pop seedlings out with the roots intact at transplant time.See price on Amazon- Seed-starting mixEspoma Organic Seed StarterA fine, sterile mix so small seeds can push through and seedlings don't rot.See price on Amazon
- Shade cloth40% shade cloth, 6.5 × 10 ftCuts midsummer heat so cool-season sowings don't bolt or fail to sprout.See price on Amazon
Ordering seeds or soil for this window? Amazon Prime includes fast delivery on eligible items, and eligible new members may be offered a free trial, so supplies ordered now can arrive while the window is still open. Delivery speed varies by item and address. See if you can try Prime free →
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on qualifying sign-ups, at no extra cost to you. Current terms are on Amazon's page.
Lettuce planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant / sow | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | March 19 – March 26 | April 16 – April 30 | May 24 – June 7 |
| Zone 2b | March 27 – April 3 | April 24 – May 8 | June 1 – June 15 |
| Zone 3b | March 22 – March 29 | April 19 – May 3 | June 5 – June 19 |
| Zone 4a | March 16 – March 23 | April 13 – April 27 | June 13 – June 27 |
| Zone 4b | March 12 – March 19 | April 9 – April 23 | June 16 – June 30 |
| Zone 5a | March 14 – March 21 | April 11 – April 25 | June 17 – July 1 |
| Zone 5b | March 6 – March 13 | April 3 – April 17 | June 24 – July 8 |
| Zone 6a | March 2 – March 9 | March 30 – April 13 | July 1 – July 15 |
| Zone 6b | February 23 – March 2 | March 23 – April 6 | July 6 – July 20 |
| Zone 7a | February 15 – February 22 | March 15 – March 29 | July 12 – July 26 |
| Zone 7b | February 6 – February 13 | March 6 – March 20 | July 18 – August 1 |
| Zone 8a | January 26 – February 2 | February 23 – March 9 | July 25 – August 8 |
| Zone 8b | January 16 – January 23 | February 13 – February 27 | August 1 – August 15 |
| Zone 9a | January 2 – January 9 | January 30 – February 13 | August 11 – August 25 |
| Zone 9b | December 5 – December 12 | January 2 – January 16 | August 27 – September 10 |
| Zone 10a | November 13 – November 20 | December 11 – December 25 | September 16 – September 30 |
| Zone 10b | November 15 – November 22 | December 13 – December 27 | September 25 – October 9 |
Calendar computed 2026-11-08. Sources: University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension — “Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden”; University of Georgia Extension — Vegetable Planting Chart (Circular C963) (days to maturity); NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Climate Normals (frost); USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map.