plant

Lettuce

Lactuca sativa

Updated 9 Jun 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) — a plant, for Full sun, Medium water. Companions: Chives, Carrot.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightmoderate to high
Waterconsistent moisture

↑ Gives back

Biomassedible leaves

Companions

Through the year

Emergence

Lettuce seeds germinate when soil temperatures are consistently above 5C.

Flowering

Flowering is typically induced by long days and warm temperatures, leading to bolting.

Harvest

Harvest can begin when leaves are large enough, typically 45-75 days after emergence, depending on variety and desired size.

Senescence

Plants senesce after flowering and seed set, often accelerated by hot, long days.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained
Nitrogen fixingNo
MycorrhizalNo
Soil textureloam, sandy_loam
Organic matterLow
Compaction toleranceLow

Propagation

Methodsseed
Difficulty1 / 5
Establishes in~0 yr
Self-seedingModerate

Wildlife & pests

Can host pestsaphids, slugs, snails, cutworms
Can host diseasesdowny mildew, powdery mildew, lettuce mosaic virus