Plant out your Lettuce this month — conditions are right now.
Growing Calendar
This month: May
Log to journalMove seedlings outside carefully
- •Harden off plants
- •Prepare soil outdoors
- •Space plants correctly
- •Water well after planting
Watch Out For
Slugs will devastate young plants overnight
protect with copper tape, grit or slug pellets and check regularly in wet weather
Bolts quickly in heat
choose bolt-resistant varieties for summer sowings and provide light shade during the hottest part of the day
Overcrowding causes poor heads and disease
thin promptly to the recommended spacing and ensure good airflow between plants
Grown Organically
Every method in this guide works with natural systems — no synthetic chemicals, no shortcuts.
Read our approachCommon Questions
About growing Lettuce in the UK
When can I start growing lettuce outside in the UK?
Sow lettuce outside from March under cloches or fleece, or April–May without protection. Autumn sowings (August–September) also work well for winter and early spring harvests.
Why does my lettuce bolt?
Lettuce bolts (runs to seed) when temperatures exceed 25°C or day length increases in summer. To prevent bolting, grow bolt-resistant varieties in summer, provide afternoon shade, and keep plants well-watered.
Can I grow lettuce in containers?
Yes — lettuce is ideal for containers, window boxes and grow bags. Use a moisture-retentive compost and water regularly. A single 30cm container can hold 4–5 plants or a cut-and-come-again patch.
How do I harvest lettuce so it keeps growing?
For cut-and-come-again varieties, harvest outer leaves from the base, leaving the central growing point intact. The plant will continue producing new leaves for several weeks.
Should I feed lettuce?
Lettuce is a light feeder but responds to nitrogen. In prepared ground with compost worked in before sowing, no extra feeding is usually needed. For container-grown lettuce or plants showing pale leaves, apply a high-nitrogen liquid feed (nettle tea or a dilute balanced liquid feed) every three weeks. Avoid high-potassium feeds — they encourage premature bolting rather than leaf production. Keep feeding consistent and light rather than heavy and infrequent.
Member guides
There's more to growing Lettuce than this guide covers.
Seasonal reminders, deeper guides, and the small adjustments that change a harvest.
