Louisiana · zones 8b–9b
When to plant lettuce in Louisiana.
Sow between Jan 21 to Mar 7 in a typical year, keyed to Louisiana's median last frost around Feb 28. A second, fall sowing fits Sep 17 to Nov 16. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Lettuce dates for a typical Louisiana season.
Direct sow
Jan 21 to Mar 7
Keyed to the ~Feb 28 last frost. Sow 0.25" deep, 6" apart.
Fall round
Sep 17 to Nov 16
Counted back from the ~Dec 1 first frost.
Harvest
~45 days later
~0.4 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.
Louisiana spans more than one climate: Zone 9 is the most common zone, but the state runs 8b to 9b. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone: mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.
In Louisiana: watch for
The pests that find lettuce here.
With about 276 frost-free days, lettuce, leaf spends longer in the ground here than in most of the country, which widens the window in which aphids can find it. Scout weekly from midseason and act on the first signs.
Clusters tucked into the heart of the head.
Organic fix: Rinse well; insecticidal soap on young plants.
Ragged holes and slime trails, worse after rain.
Organic fix: Iron-phosphate bait; a diatomaceous-earth ring; hand-pick at night.
Seedlings clipped off at the soil line overnight.
Organic fix: Collars around the stems; Bt or diatomaceous earth.
Pale yellow patches boxed in by the leaf veins, with white fuzz underneath.
Organic fix: Give plants room, let them dry between waterings, clear old leaves, and pick resistant varieties.
Your season math: Louisiana gives lettuce about 276 frost-free days, and it needs roughly 45 days to a first harvest. That fits about 24 re-sown rounds across the season, so you can keep it coming instead of picking once.
Planting lettuce in Louisiana: questions
When should I plant lettuce in Louisiana?+
In a typical Louisiana year, sow lettuce between Jan 21 to Mar 7, keyed to the state's median last frost around Feb 28. There's also a fall window: Sep 17 to Nov 16. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
What USDA zone is Louisiana?+
Louisiana spans zones 8b–9b, mostly zone 9. But frost dates, not zones, set planting time. The free planner uses your ZIP code's actual frost dates.
How many lettuce plants do I need?+
Depends who you're feeding. The crop page has exact counts per household size, or the free planner does the math for your family in about 60 seconds.