In zone 8, plant lettuce outside from March 3 to March 10, three to four weeks before your last spring frost. Sow again in late summer for a fall crop: the last sowing date is about September 9.
Lettuce dates for your ZIP code
Planting times based on university extension guidance (UNH, Cornell, Purdue, Minnesota, Nebraska and UMass Extension). Frost dates from NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, nearest weather station. Zones derived from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map data (PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University). This is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Lettuce timing in zone 8
| Task | When |
|---|---|
| Start indoors (optional) | January 27 – February 3 |
| Plant outside | March 3 – March 10 |
| First harvest | April 22 – May 9 |
| Sow for fall by | September 9 |
| Sow again | Every couple of weeks from fall through spring |
| Protect on very cold nights | With a row cover, hoop house or cold frame |
Most of zone 8 sees its last spring frost between March 25 and April 6 (typical March 31) and its first fall frost between October 31 and November 9 (typical November 4). Lettuce handles light frost, so early planting is fine, but cover it if a hard freeze is forecast. The tool above uses the weather station closest to your ZIP code.
Why lettuce is planted before the last frost
Lettuce is a cool-season, semi-hardy crop. It tolerates light frost and grows best in mild weather, so it goes into the garden weeks before the last spring frost. Heat and long summer days make it bolt: the plant sends up a flower stalk and the leaves turn bitter. That is why lettuce is grown in spring and again in fall.
Best lettuce varieties for zone 8
In zone 8, lettuce is a fall, winter and spring crop. Summer heat makes it bolt and turn bitter, so slow-bolting and heat-tolerant varieties stretch the season:
- Leaf lettuce: Slobolt, Green Ice, Grand Rapids, New Red Fire and Red Sails.
- Butterhead: Buttercrunch and Esmeralda.
- Romaine: Parris Island Cos, Sunbelt, Green Forest and Ideal Cos.
- Head lettuce: Summertime, Raider and Nevada.
How to plant lettuce
- Sow seeds ¼ inch deep directly in the garden, or start transplants indoors four to five weeks ahead.
- Thin leaf lettuce to 4–8 inches apart when seedlings are 1–2 inches tall. You can eat the thinnings.
- Space heading types wider: butterhead and romaine 6–10 inches apart, crisphead 12–15 inches.
- Water lightly and often to keep growth fast and tender.
- Sow small batches every couple of weeks for a steady harvest.
Zone 8 lettuce tips
- Grow it through the cool months. In warm areas lettuce can grow all winter. Protect it with a row cover on the coldest nights.
- Start fall lettuce early in the season. Sow from early fall until your last fall sowing date for harvests through winter.
- Plant spring lettuce early, from late winter, so it matures before the heat. Bibb types turn bitter once temperatures climb above 75 °F.
- Give summer sowings some shade and steady water if you try to stretch the season.
Harvesting lettuce
Pick leaf lettuce when plants are 5–6 inches tall, starting with the outer leaves, or cut whole plants an inch above the soil: they often regrow for a second cut in two to three weeks. Harvest butterhead when the leaves cup inward, romaine when it forms a head 6–8 inches tall, and crisphead when the head feels firm. Store lettuce dry and unwashed in a bag in the refrigerator.
Lettuce planting dates in nearby zones
See dates for every zone on the lettuce planting guide, or build a full schedule with the planting calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Is it too late to plant lettuce in zone 8 in March?
For spring, yes: lettuce sown in March matures in hot weather and bolts. Wait and sow in early fall, when lettuce grows best in zone 8.
Can I grow lettuce in winter in zone 8?
Yes. In mild-winter areas lettuce grows through winter. Cover it on very cold nights with a row cover, hoop house or cold frame.
Can I plant lettuce before the last frost?
Yes. Lettuce tolerates light frost and grows best in cool weather, so it is planted three to four weeks before your last spring frost.
How often should I sow lettuce?
Sow a short row every couple of weeks. That gives you a steady supply instead of more lettuce than you can eat at once.
Why is my lettuce bitter?
Heat and long days make lettuce bolt and turn bitter. Harvest before hot weather, and choose slow-bolting varieties for late spring.
Sources. Planting dates use the median frost dates of each USDA zone, calculated from NOAA climate data for every ZIP code in the zone.