When to plant lettuce in zone 6a
In zone 6a, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 29, start lettuce indoors March 4 to 18 and plant out April 22 to May 6. For a fall crop, plant July 18 to August 22.
The zone 6a schedule for lettuce
- Start seeds indoors
- March 4 to 18
- Plant out
- April 22 to May 6
- Sow outdoors
- April 8 to 15
- First harvest, roughly
- May 22 to July 15
- Plant for a fall crop
- July 18 to August 22
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 4,514 ZIP codes in zone 6a, 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 6a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 6a, the typical last frost ranges from about April 16 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 11 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 4 to October 24. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 16Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 29Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 14Safe: 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 6a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Apr 11 | Feb 14 to 28 | Apr 4 to 18 |
| Indianapolis city, IN | Apr 15 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Apr 8 to 22 |
| Denver, CO | May 4 | Mar 9 to 23 | Apr 27 to May 11 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | May 3 | Mar 8 to 22 | Apr 26 to May 10 |
| Omaha, NE | Apr 18 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Apr 11 to 25 |
| Aurora, CO | May 4 | Mar 9 to 23 | Apr 27 to May 11 |
| Lincoln, NE | Apr 24 | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | Apr 24 | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | Apr 29 | Mar 4 to 18 | Apr 22 to May 6 |
| Lakewood, CO | May 5 | Mar 10 to 24 | Apr 28 to May 12 |
| Springfield, MA | May 3 | Mar 8 to 22 | Apr 26 to May 10 |
| Joliet, IL | Apr 19 | Feb 22 to Mar 8 | Apr 12 to 26 |
How to grow lettuceAll zonesLettuce in zone 5bLettuce in zone 6bAbout zone 6a
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)