Lettuce

Lettuce is a cool-season annual grown for its tender leaves, which may form loose rosettes or compact heads depending on the type. It is a quick-growing crop for spring and fall, and regular picking can provide fresh greens over an extended harvest. ## Growing conditions Lettuce tolerates partial shade and grows well in full sun during cool spring or fall weather. Maryland Extension recommends sowing leaf and butterhead types as soon as spring soil can be worked or in late summer; crisphead and cos types are suited to early spring or fall planting. Young plants can tolerate light frost, while severe freezes require protection. ## Harvest Harvest leaf types a few outer leaves at a time once plants are established, or cut a whole plant when it reaches the desired size. Head-forming types are ready when their leaves overlap and the head feels firm. Because lettuce is shallow-rooted, keep soil evenly moist and weed gently. ## Maintenance Water lightly and often enough to support steady growth, taking care not to keep foliage wet overnight. Sow small batches in succession during cool weather; shade or cover crops when heat arrives, since warm conditions can trigger bolting and bitter leaves. [University of Maryland Extension: Growing lettuce in a home garden](https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-lettuce-home-garden)