How to Grow Lettuce from Seed to Harvest

In today's video, I show how to grow lettuce from seed to harvest!

Thank you for your support!

Correction: At 1:30 and 5:14, the metric conversion should be 6 mm (not 25 mm). Plant lettuce seeds 6 mm deep.

Table of Contents:

0:14 Types of lettuce
0:32 What lettuce is easiest to grow?
When to plant
0:39 When to plant indoors for spring
0:45 When to transplant outside
1:00 When to direct sow lettuce
1:08 When to plant lettuce for the fall
How to start lettuce indoors
1:28 Planting seeds indoors
1:46 How long seeds stay viable
2:12 Light placement
2:19 Days to germination
2:31 Soil temperature for germination
2:45 Fertilizing indoors
3:05 Watering indoors
Planting/transplanting lettuce outside
3:35 Best soil conditions
3:44 Sun requirements
3:58 When to plant out
4:20 Hardening off lettuce
4:35 Apply compost before planting
4:53 Plant spacing for beginners
5:03 When to direct sow outside
5:20 More Intensive plant spacing
Growing
6:09 Fertilization
6:27 Watering
6:38 Weeding
6:44 Mulching
Growing lettuce in summer
6:52 How to delay bolting
7:09 Slow bolting varieties
Harvesting
7:24 Days to Harvest
7:40 How to harvest earlier
Pests
7:55 Fences and barriers
8:05 Sluggo Plus
Season Extension
8:14

5:38 Oscar the cat

I'm passionate about an approach to organic gardening that is frugal, easy, sustainable, and works with nature to achieve amazing results. My videos will help you grow more healthy organic fruits and vegetables, while working less and saving money. I don't push gardening products. I don't hype bogus "garden secrets". I provide evidence based strategies to help you grow a lot of food on a little land without spending much or working harder than you have to!

[thedaydreamer]

There is nothing more rewarding than growing your own food, you never reach the pinnacle of gardening, you just learn how to grow better, thanks for your videos

[darkmatter]

I have been planting and harvesting my own lettuce for the last few years. It never ceases to amaze me how many seeds I can get from one plant that came from one seed. One plant with over 200 flowers each of which contains 12 seeds. I don't think I'll be paying for any lettuce seeds for the foreseeable future.

[OneYardRevolution]

Correction: At 1:30 and 5:14, the metric conversion should be 6 mm (not 25 mm). Plant lettuce seeds 6 mm deep.
Table of Contents:
0:14 Types of lettuce
0:32 What lettuce is easiest to grow?
When to plant
0:39 When to plant indoors for spring
0:45 When to transplant outside
1:00 When to direct sow lettuce
1:08 When to plant lettuce for the fall
How to start lettuce indoors
1:28 Planting seeds indoors
1:46 How long seeds stay viable
2:12 Light placement
2:19 Days to germination
2:31 Soil temperature for germination
2:45 Fertilizing indoors
3:05 Watering indoors
Planting/transplanting lettuce outside
3:35 Best soil conditions
3:44 Sun requirements
3:58 When to plant out
4:20 Hardening off lettuce
4:35 Apply compost before planting
4:53 Plant spacing for beginners
5:03 When to direct sow outside
5:20 More Intensive plant spacing
Growing
6:09 Fertilization
6:27 Watering
6:38 Weeding
6:44 Mulching
Growing lettuce in summer
6:52 How to delay bolting
7:09 Slow bolting varieties
Harvesting
7:24 Days to Harvest
7:40 How to harvest earlier
Pests
7:55 Fences and barriers
8:05 Sluggo Plus
Season Extension
8:14

5:38 Oscar the cat


Thank you for your support!

[gratituderanch]

I appreciated the bit on planting more intensively for fall and winter. Dunno why I never thought of that! Thanks!

[kansasgardener]

I like Burpee Bibb lettuce. For anyone just starting out it's a great butter head type. Delicious!

[JastaAdventures]

For a future video, can you talk about the peppers and other things you have growing in grow bags in your front yard? How big are the pots, how often do you water? Do you need to add additional compost as fertilizer during the growing seasons, etc? Thanks!

[SteveSilverActor]

Another great video, Patrick! Lettuce is also easy to grow in containers -- I plant my lettuce on my containers on the balcony.

[fireside]

I'm slowly working my way into eating more lettuce. I always felt like I ate nothing with it, but now that I'm older, it's kind of a way to feel full without taking in a ton of calories. I like it for a late night snack, especially with a low calorie dressing. Next year for sure, I'll grow some.

[JonathanVieker]

Each of your videos is a masterclass in some aspect of gardening, and there are, what—100 of them? Incredible. Thank you for sharing your expertise!

[rhodacampbell]

Hallelujah!!! I video full of useful info. I will save this and keep referring to it as I learn to grow lettuce! Thank you

[Jedidragoon]

I love that you keep your videos simple

[samjett]

Have you ever thought about turning your transcripts into a book? you have so much info it would be good to have it all in one place!

[kimd.]

Thank you! I feel more confident in starting my garden after watching your video.

[Satoshi-stacks]

At the start of this video I thought I should subscribe. Halfway through I was wondering how lettuce looks growing in a short clip. Then you did that 3 minutes later. Subscribed. Awesome content

[markcaselius]

Nice little video. You are so right about being cool season crops. In my zone 4a garden lettuce's are just about the first thing in as soon as I can see the ground. And they are the last thing in the fall. :)

[_sunrise_gardens_]

i am sowing, i am planting,
i am clipping, i am snapping,
birds are singing, cats are napping,
bees are buzzing, dogs are panting,
rabbits racing, spiders spinning,
garden blooming, peas are growing,
beans are climbing, vines are winding,
wind is blowing, sun is shining,
clouds are stretching, rain is dancing,
harvest time and I am prancing.

[andrewgoldfish]

Love the t-shirt. For some reason lettuce is one crop we've struggled with here in Indianapolis. Kale, swiss chard and pak choi does great for us. Thanks for all the tips. Your depth of experience and info is amazing.

[mascatrails]

I'd love to see you do a "How to Grow Broccoli" video

[WatisMitDrahteselGarten]

Hey😀. I really love this channel, I live in Germany in the city of seven lakes, Capitol of Mecklenburg, called Schwerin. Very good video, I like the details, how to put the seeds and how to harvest, and the Tipps are very meaningful. The star of this channel is your cat🤩
Thank you for giving us the views.
Best regards, Konner from the Freizeitidyll am See

[thepwicks]

Would love to hear a video on how you deal with plant diseases... blight, etc etc