Tips & Tricks For Planting A Late Crop Of Lettuce Seeds In Summer

The dog days of summer call for dinners that don't rely on the stove. Salads call to you as the mercury rises. Lettuce, everyone's favorite leafy greens, are a summer staple. Yet, they grow horribly in the heat. Planting late in the summer can be a mistake that'll kill your lettuce before you can enjoy it. Lettuce seeds won't germinate when temps climb above 80 degrees, and hot weather spurs established plants to bolt into bitter, flowery towers.

All is not lost, though. With a combo of cooling tactics and varieties bred for heat, you can squeeze in a crop of lettuce in the latter half of summer. While it's not as simple as starting plants in April, it's not impossible. Take advantage of shade or create some. Start seeds indoors or stick with container growing. The easiest option is to get a hold of lettuces that can handle elevated temperatures. Let your late-season salads come from your garden instead of the grocery store with these savvy tips and tricks.

There's a wealth of lettuce seeds that are marketed as heat-tolerant. These plants are slow to go to seed and become inedibly bitter. There are both leaf and head varieties in red and green, as well as mixes that make lovely multi-colored displays as they grow. However, even with extra heat tolerance, you will likely need to start your seeds indoors for them to germinate.

While they may struggle to sprout outdoors in late summer, some of these types of leaf and head lettuce do boast the ability to stay sweet once the August heat sets in. Botanical Interests' Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce promises not to turn bitter as long as plants are kept moist during hot periods. Others, like Seed Savers' Exchange Slobolt Lettuce, take longer to flower than other lettuces. Leaf blends like Fruition Seeds' Organic Salad in Provence Mix will regale you with a late harvest of delicate leaves you thought was only possible in spring.

No matter the temperature outside, lettuce seeds of any kind will be sluggish if not fast asleep if the soil is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Indoor starts are a tried-and-true way to keep enjoying your fresh salads. Get your lettuce going in a seed-starting mix since it's lighter than the standard potting mix. Plant three seeds per pot, no deeper than ⅛ inch beneath the soil. To make the most of your indoor growing setup, plant seeds over the course of several weeks so that you can stagger your harvest time. After about four weeks, your small lettuce should be ready to transplant outdoors.

Before tucking your lettuces into the soil, consider where you're planting them. Shady spots are ideal for late lettuces. If you don't have natural shade in any of your beds, there are a good number of companion plants to grow with lettuce. Leafy Swiss chard and spreading cucumbers or mint will give the tender leaves some shelter among their vines and foliage.

If chard, cucumbers, and mint aren't part of your plant team this summer, you can also shelter your lettuce with row covers or hoop houses that will take the edge off the heat. If all else fails, you can grow lettuce in containers all summer. Move them to follow the shade, place them under a pergola, or even bring them inside for a bit of bought air.