leafy · transplant
Head Lettuce: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating head lettuce a few times a week needs about 7 plants in ~6 sq ft, worth about $15 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$3.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 2 | ~2 sq ft | ~3 | ~$4 |
| 2 people | 4 | ~4 sq ft | ~5 | ~$8 |
| 4 people | 7 | ~6 sq ft | ~8 | ~$15 |
| 6 people | 10 | ~9 sq ft | ~12 | ~$21 |
Spacing
10" in row · 12" between rows
Sow depth
0.25"
Days to harvest
50 from transplant (65 from seed)
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Apr 7 – May 10 | Jul 2 – Aug 15 |
| Zone 4 | Apr 2 – May 5 | Jul 12 – Aug 25 |
| Zone 5 | Mar 23 – Apr 25 | Jul 22 – Sep 4 |
| Zone 6 | Mar 13 – Apr 15 | Aug 1 – Sep 14 |
| Zone 7 | Feb 26 – Mar 31 | Aug 11 – Sep 24 |
| Zone 8 | Feb 15 – Mar 20 | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| Zone 9 | Jan 13 – Feb 15 | Sep 21 – Nov 4 |
| Zone 10 | Dec 24 – Jan 26 | Oct 1 – Nov 14 |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
The head feels firm when you press it gently, like a loose cabbage. Soft means wait; rock hard means cut today.
Don't wait: Overmature heads crack open and bolt, and bitterness follows fast in warm weather.
Yield
About 1 head per plant over ~1 productive weeks (~0.7 lb). Re-sow every ~10 days for a steady supply instead of one glut.
Watch for
Aphids · Slugs & snails · Cutworms · Downy mildew, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with carrot, radish, sweet corn, tomato. Keep away from fennel. Which of these hold up, and what not to plant after
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
13 kcal · 1.1 g fiber · 3.7 mg vitamin C · 238 mg potassium
Related varieties
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Lettuce, head planting questions
How many head lettuce plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 2 plants per person. A family of 4 needs about 7 plants, which takes around 6 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does head lettuce need?+
Space plants 10" apart in the row with 12" between rows. Sow 0.25" deep. Start indoors, transplant out.
When should I plant head lettuce?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. It also has a fall window keyed to your first fall frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing head lettuce worth it?+
At about $3.00/lb retail and ~0.7 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $15 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.