When to plant lettuce in zone 5b
In zone 5b, where the last spring frost typically comes around May 1, start lettuce indoors March 6 to 20 and plant out April 24 to May 8. For a fall crop, plant July 11 to August 15.
The zone 5b schedule for lettuce
- Start seeds indoors
- March 6 to 20
- Plant out
- April 24 to May 8
- Sow outdoors
- April 10 to 17
- First harvest, roughly
- May 24 to July 17
- Plant for a fall crop
- July 11 to August 15
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,546 ZIP codes in zone 5b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for lettuce.
Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.
Frost risk in zone 5b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 5b, the typical last frost ranges from about April 21 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 18 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from September 30 to October 19. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 18Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- May 1Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 16Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for lettuce
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant lettuce where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Lettuce in zone 5b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | Apr 19 | Feb 22 to Mar 8 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Madison, WI | May 1 | Mar 6 to 20 | Apr 24 to May 8 |
| Des Moines, IA | Apr 18 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Apr 11 to 25 |
| Aurora, IL | Apr 19 | Feb 22 to Mar 8 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Fort Collins, CO | May 2 | Mar 7 to 21 | Apr 25 to May 9 |
| Naperville, IL | Apr 19 | Feb 22 to Mar 8 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Rockford, IL | Apr 24 | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Elgin, IL | Apr 26 | Mar 1 to 15 | Apr 19 to May 3 |
| Greeley, CO | May 2 | Mar 7 to 21 | Apr 25 to May 9 |
| Green Bay, WI | Apr 30 | Mar 5 to 19 | Apr 23 to May 7 |
| Davenport, IA | Apr 19 | Feb 22 to Mar 8 | Apr 12 to 26 |
| Longmont, CO | May 6 | Mar 11 to 25 | Apr 29 to May 13 |
How to grow lettuceAll zonesLettuce in zone 5aLettuce in zone 6aAbout zone 5b
Sources
- How to Grow Lettuce in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Lettuce | Home Vegetable Gardening · University of Illinois Extension
- Lactuca sativa (Lettuce) · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Growing Lettuce in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103/VH021) · UF/IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Fall Vegetable Gardening Guide for Texas · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- When Is the Right Time to Plant Vegetable Seeds? Check Soil Temperature · University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension (Wisconsin Horticulture)