Harvest guide

Lettuce harvest guide: when to pick and how much to expect

Loose-leaf lettuce can be picked a few leaves at a time for months, while hearting types are cut whole. This guide covers both, plus what a short row gives.

Days to harvest: 40–45 days from sowing(Montana State University Extension)
Harvest months: May–November(RHS)
Typical yield: 2.3 kg per 3 m row (5 lb per 10 ft)(Montana State University Extension)
Spacing: 15–30 cm (6–12 in) apart(RHS)
Family: Asteraceae (daisy family)
Botanical name: Lactuca sativa

Lettuce planting and harvest calendar

Sow February–October. Harvest May–November.(RHS)

Lettuce season timeline

Sow
Harvest

Months are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate, based on RHS (UK) guidance. Shift them earlier or later to match your own frost dates, or by about six months in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sow
Harvest

When to harvest lettuce

Loose-leaf lettuce is worth picking once leaves are about 10 cm (4 in) long. In warm weather that can be just four to six weeks after sowing.(RHS)
Hearting lettuce is ready when it has formed a firm heart, usually 10–14 weeks from sowing.(RHS)
Pick in the morning if you can, when leaves are crisp and full of water.(RHS)

How often to pick

Treat leaf lettuce as cut-and-come-again: take a few outer leaves from each plant, or cut the whole plant above the base and let it regrow. Sowing small batches regularly gives a steady supply.(RHS)

Leaf lettuce. Head lettuce takes about 70–80 days.(Montana State University Extension)

How many lettuce to expect

A 3 m (10 ft) row typically gives about 2.3 kg (5 lb). Leaf lettuce.(Montana State University Extension)

Yields vary with variety, weather, soil and care. Treat these as ballpark figures, not targets.

Plan for your family

For 4 people eating lettuce fresh, plan on about 6–12 m (20–40 ft) of row(University of Missouri Extension). That should give roughly 5–9 kg (10–20 lb)(Montana State University Extension).

See the full planting-per-person guide →

Storing your lettuce

Store lettuce cold and humid, in a bag in the fridge crisper. Expect about a week.(University of Minnesota Extension)
Remove wilted outer leaves before storing and wash just before eating.(University of Maine Cooperative Extension)

Track it

Log every lettuce harvest

Harvest Journal is a private garden journal for your phone. Tap to log each picking of lettuce by weight or count, and see your season add up, with no account needed.

Prefer paper? Make a free harvest report PDF in your browser, with no account needed.

Lettuce harvest FAQ

How do I harvest lettuce so it keeps growing?

Pick a few outer leaves from each plant, or cut the whole plant leaving a short stump about 2.5 cm (1 in) high. The RHS says the stump should resprout for at least one more harvest, as long as it isn't too hot or dry.