When to plant lettuce in zone 6b
In zone 6b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 23, start lettuce indoors February 26 to March 12 and plant out April 16 to 30. For a fall crop, plant July 23 to August 27.
The zone 6b schedule for lettuce
- Start seeds indoors
- February 26 to March 12
- Plant out
- April 16 to 30
- Sow outdoors
- April 2 to 9
- First harvest, roughly
- May 16 to July 9
- Plant for a fall crop
- July 23 to August 27
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 4,514 ZIP codes in zone 6b, 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 6b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 6b, the typical last frost ranges from about April 10 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 6 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 9 to October 29. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 8Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 23Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 9Safe: 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 6b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | Apr 18 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Apr 11 to 25 |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Feb 7 to 21 | Mar 28 to Apr 11 |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 21 | Feb 24 to Mar 10 | Apr 14 to 28 |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | Feb 7 to 21 | Mar 28 to Apr 11 |
| Cleveland, OH | Apr 8 | Feb 11 to 25 | Apr 1 to 15 |
| Cincinnati, OH | Apr 16 | Feb 19 to Mar 5 | Apr 9 to 23 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Apr 24 | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Buffalo, NY | Apr 24 | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Toledo, OH | Apr 20 | Feb 23 to Mar 9 | Apr 13 to 27 |
| Boise City, ID | Apr 24 | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 26 | Mar 1 to 15 | Apr 19 to May 3 |
| Rochester, NY | Apr 24 | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 17 to May 1 |
How to grow lettuceAll zonesLettuce in zone 6aLettuce in zone 7aAbout zone 6b
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)