North Carolina · zones 7a–8b
When to plant lettuce in North Carolina.
Sow between Feb 24 to Apr 10 in a typical year, keyed to North Carolina's median last frost around Apr 3. A second, fall sowing fits Aug 20 to Oct 19. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Lettuce dates for a typical North Carolina season.
Direct sow
Feb 24 to Apr 10
Keyed to the ~Apr 3 last frost. Sow 0.25" deep, 6" apart.
Fall round
Aug 20 to Oct 19
Counted back from the ~Nov 3 first frost.
Harvest
~45 days later
~0.4 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.
North Carolina spans more than one climate: Zone 8 is the most common zone, but the state runs 7a to 8b. 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.