Missouri · zones 5b7a

When to plant lettuce in Missouri.

Sow between Mar 8 to Apr 22 in a typical year, keyed to Missouri's median last frost around Apr 15. A second, fall sowing fits Aug 6 to Oct 5. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.

The 2026 windows

Lettuce dates for a typical Missouri season.

Direct sow

Mar 8 to Apr 22

Keyed to the ~Apr 15 last frost. Sow 0.25" deep, 6" apart.

Fall round

Aug 6 to Oct 5

Counted back from the ~Oct 20 first frost.

Harvest

~45 days later

~0.4 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.

Missouri spans more than one climate: Zone 6 is the most common zone, but the state runs 5b to 7a. 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.