What to plan for
- Sunlight
- Sun to part shade
- Water
- Light + consistent
- Spacing
- Check your cultivar
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
- Container
- 6 IN DEEP
- Planting window
- See planting guidance
HIGH TUNNEL + CONTAINER
Lettuce
Cool + moisture holding
Lettuce
Lactuca sativaA fine, evenly moist mix for head lettuce, leaf lettuce, and repeated baby-leaf harvests.
- Water
- Light + consistent
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
GROWING GUIDANCE FOR
Central Maryland / BowieLocal Bowie-area baselineAt a Glance
Is Lettuce right for your garden?
Start with the plant, the space it needs, and the conditions that determine whether it will thrive.
CARRIED BY CENTRAL MARKET
Guide only
This guide remains fully available even when the plant is not listed for pickup.
WHAT IT IS
Lettuce
A quick cool-season leafy crop grown as heads, loose leaves, or dense baby-leaf stands.
BEST FIT
Choose it when…
Ideal for shallow containers and protected cool-season production when you can succession sow and keep moisture steady.
QUICK PROFILE
What to plan for
- Plant type
- Vegetable
- Life cycle
- Cool-season annual
- Sunlight
- Sun to part shade
- Container
- 6 IN DEEP
- Water
- Light + consistent
- Target pH
- 6.0–7.0
BEST TIME TO PLANT OUTDOORS
Bowie planting window
- Ideal
- Mid-March–May
- Also Good
- Mid-July–August
- Avoid
- Winter outdoor planting
RIGHT NOW
Wait before planting outdoors
The next recommended Bowie-area window is Mid-March–May. Approximate Central Maryland outdoor planting period. Check weather, soil conditions, and the cultivar before planting. Uses leaf-lettuce dates. Head lettuce: transplant April or first three weeks of August; do not apply leaf-seeding dates to all lettuce types. Leaf lettuce is the baseline. Head lettuce is usually transplanted in April or in the first three weeks of August.
Approximate outdoor calendar for Central Maryland. Early, mid, and late-month source wording is represented by calendar dates; confirm the cultivar, local weather, soil, and production system.
Can I plant this now?
- Current recommendation
- Wait before planting outdoors
- Current window
- Outside the recommended window
- Next best window
- Mid-March–May
- Guidance location
- Central Maryland / Bowie
- Regional coverage
- Central Maryland coverage
- USDA hardiness zone
- 7b
- Planting method
- Transplant or direct sow
- Cold tolerance
- Light-frost tolerant
- Minimum soil temperature
- 40°F
Approximate Central Maryland outdoor planting period. Check weather, soil conditions, and the cultivar before planting. Uses leaf-lettuce dates. Head lettuce: transplant April or first three weeks of August; do not apply leaf-seeding dates to all lettuce types. Leaf lettuce is the baseline. Head lettuce is usually transplanted in April or in the first three weeks of August.
TIME TO HARVEST
40–80 days
Count from: sowing seed
Leaf, butterhead, and heading types mature at different speeds. Baby leaves can be cut before full maturity.
Approximate guidance, not a guaranteed harvest date. Cultivar, plant size, light, temperature, and care affect timing. For perennials, first harvest does not mean full production. Follow the plant tag and check readiness before picking.
SEASONAL REFERENCE
What Should This Plant Look Like Now?
October Central Maryland
CURRENT STAGE
Fall Growth / Harvest
Typical stage for October in Central Maryland
Fall lettuce forms tender heads or loose rosettes and can tolerate light frost with protection.
Normal Right Now
- ✓
Cool nights can deepen lettuce color or sweetness without signaling failure.
- ✓
The crown and inner leaves should remain firm through normal light frost.
- ✓
The exact pace for lettuce can shift with sun, planting age, pruning, and Bowie-area weather.
Something Looks Different?Signs that may be worth investigating
Worth Checking
- A slimy or collapsed crown
- Widespread leaf-miner trails or severe chewing
- Persistent wilt in moist cool soil
- Rapid dark spotting through the inner leaves
These signs may be worth investigating. A symptom or photo alone cannot identify the cause.
See Lettuce Through the YearA typical Bowie-area lifecycle
December–March
Winter Pause / Overwintering
Lettuce may be absent, protected, or holding slowly depending on sowing date and winter severity.April–May
Spring Growth / Harvest
Lettuce grows actively in cool spring conditions and can reach harvest before sustained heat.June–August
Heat Pause / Fall Establishment
Spring lettuce often bolts or is removed in heat while shaded late-summer sowings begin forming small rosettes.September–November · Now
Fall Growth / Harvest
Fall lettuce forms tender heads or loose rosettes and can tolerate light frost with protection.Sources & Review InformationLocal basis and review date
This is a typical Central Maryland stage, not a guarantee for every garden or every year.
University of Maryland Extension · Central Maryland Vegetable Planting Calendar Last reviewed: September 3, 2026This is what a healthy plant typically looks like at this stage. It is seasonal reference guidance—not a visual diagnosis. Microclimate, weather, plant age, recent transplanting, pruning, and cultivar variation can change appearance.
Plant origins & further reading
Species origin
Mediterranean to Siberia
Mapped countries: Russian Federation
Pins show documented countries within the species’ native range; follow the source for the full range.
Before you choose it
Heat causes bitterness and bolting. A high tunnel extends spring and fall but needs active ventilation on sunny days.
Bowie conditions are the baseline
Container size, microclimate, cultivar, tunnel temperature, and actual weather can move the timing. Use the plant tag and direct observation with this guide.