When to plant lettuce in Vancouver, WA

Plant lettuce in the garden in Vancouver Mar 1 – Apr 26, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Jan 18 – Feb 1. For a fall harvest, plant again Aug 20 – Sep 3.

Easy Plant seeds or young plants

Why these dates

Vancouver's typical last spring frost is March 29. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop doesn't need to wait for that date. In the west-side valleys, though, the soil usually isn't ready to work until about March 1.

West-side valleys. The Willamette Valley, Puget Sound and southern Oregon valleys. Long frost-free seasons, but soil stays cold and wet into May, so warm crops wait for warm soil, not just the last frost.

Difficulty: Easy
Sun: Full sun in spring; afternoon shade in summer
Spacing: 8 to 10 inches apart for heads
Planting depth: ¼ inch deep (it needs light to sprout)
Frost: Handles light frost
First harvest: About 50 days after planting

Step by step

Start seeds indoors Jan 18 – Feb 1 in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
Plant them in the garden Mar 1 – Apr 26, 8 to 10 inches apart for heads. If you plant seeds instead, sow them ¼ inch deep (it needs light to sprout).
Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
Plant again Aug 20 – Sep 3 for a fall harvest.
Harvest: Pick outer leaves as needed, or cut whole heads when full. Harvest in the morning for the crispest leaves.

Varieties that do well here

Buttercrunch
Black Seeded Simpson
Winter Density

Watch out for

Slugs are the Northwest lettuce pest. Iron phosphate slug bait is safe around pets and edible crops.

Tolerates light frost. Sow every two to three weeks; choose heat-tolerant types for later sowings.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Vancouver, WA?

Typically March 29. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by April 18. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Vancouver Pearson Field.

Is it too late to plant lettuce in Vancouver?

The spring planting window runs through April 26. If you miss it, plant again for fall from August 20 to September 3.

When should I start lettuce from seed indoors in Vancouver?

January 18 to February 1, which is 6 to 4 weeks before the March 1 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

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Raised Beds for Rainy Northwest GardensWhy raised beds suit the Northwest so well, how big and deep to build them, what to fill them with, and the mistakes to avoid.
Growing Vegetables in Containers on a Northwest Balcony or PatioNo yard? Herbs, greens, tomatoes and more grow well in pots. Container sizes, soil, watering and the best crops for small Northwest spaces.
Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardening West of the CascadesHow to keep harvesting kale, carrots, garlic and greens through a mild Northwest winter, and when to plant for it.
Gardening in Bend and Central Oregon's Short SeasonHow to grow vegetables where frost can come almost any month: what to plant, when, and how to protect it.
How to Control Slugs in a Northwest GardenPractical, pet-safe ways to protect seedlings, lettuce and strawberries from the Pacific Northwest's most famous garden pest.

Also plant in Vancouver around the same time

Planting dates for lettuce in nearby areas

Portland, OR Mar 1 – Apr 26
Gresham, OR Mar 1 – Apr 26
Wilsonville and Canby, OR Mar 1 – Apr 26
Salem, OR Mar 1 – Apr 26
Eugene, OR Mar 1 – Apr 26
Roseburg, OR Mar 1 – Apr 26

Full planting calendar for Vancouver · Lettuce in every city