When to Plant Romaine Lettuce
Romaine lettuce is a half-hardy cool-season vegetable. It takes light frosts but not a hard freeze.
Sow it outdoors from 4 weeks before the last spring frost to 1 week after it. For a fall crop, sow 7 to 10 weeks before the first fall frost. The first harvest comes about 55 to 75 days after sowing.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | Feb 15 – Mar 22 | Mar 18 – Apr 22 | Apr 17 – May 22 |
| Harvest | Apr 11 – May 2 | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jun 11 – Jul 2 |
| Fall: Sow outdoors | Sep 6 – 27 | Aug 16 – Sep 6 | Jul 22 – Aug 12 |
| Fall: Harvest | Oct 31 – Nov 21 | Oct 10 – 31 | Sep 15 – Oct 6 |
Growing romaine lettuce
Romaine takes a little longer than leaf types, so get spring sowings in early to beat the heat.
- Spacing: 10 in apart, in rows 18 in apart. In a raised bed, 1 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 55 to 75 from sowing, then about 3 weeks of picking.
- Successions: sow again every 14 days for a steady supply. See succession planting.
- Traditional companions: beet, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, cherry tomato, chives, cilantro, collards, cucumber, dill, fennel (florence), garlic, green onion, kale, kohlrabi, leek, mint, onion (bulb), parsley, radish, shallot, strawberry, sweet corn, tomato. See companion plants for romaine lettuce.
Plan your beds with these dates
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant romaine lettuce and everything else, and get every crop's dates for your ZIP code in one calendar. Free, in your browser.
Open the garden plannerQuestions
Can romaine lettuce go in before the last frost?
Yes. Romaine lettuce is half-hardy: sow it from 4 weeks before the last spring frost to 1 week after it.
How long does romaine lettuce take to grow?
About 55 to 75 days from sowing to the first harvest, which then lasts about 3 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
Can I grow romaine lettuce in fall?
Yes. Sow 7 to 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
How often should I sow romaine lettuce?
Every 14 days or so for a steady harvest, until the last sowing that still ripens before your first fall frost. The planner works that date out for your ZIP code.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech: Virginia's Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant (426-331 / SPES-673P, 2025)
- University of Maryland Extension: Vegetable Planting Calendar for central Maryland
- NC State Extension: Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 16: Vegetable Gardening
- WSU Extension: Pacific Northwest Gardener's Handbook, Chapter 7: Vegetable Gardening
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Small-Scale Gardening (square-foot planting guide)
- UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR: Companion Planting Chart: Companion Planting for Edible Crops
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, Kenosha County: Companion Plants for the Vegetable Garden (column, 2012)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Companion Planting (Food Hero, 2021)
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden
- Utah State University Extension, Utah 4-H: Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens: Companion Planting (2025)
- Penn State Extension: Herbs Make Good Plant Partners and Companions
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County: The Art of Companion Planting (Master Gardener presentation, 2023)
- N.C. A&T State University Cooperative Extension: Five Veggies You Can Grow at Home
- UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program: Companion Planting (FFL in a Minute, 2020)