When to plant lettuce in New York
New York spans USDA hardiness zones 3b-7b. Average last spring frost: 04-25 (NYC/LI) to 05-15 (Upstate). This calendar gives you the indoor start, transplant, and direct-sow dates for Lactuca sativa.
New York planting dates for lettuce
Dates for New York vary significantly by region. Use the average frost date lookup for your specific ZIP code, then apply the standard offsets: start lettuce indoors 6 weeks before your last frost; transplant 2 weeks before last frost; direct sow 2 weeks before last frost.
Why these dates
Lettuce is a cool-season crop. Above 75F it bolts (goes to seed). Plant in early spring and again in late summer for fall harvest. Provide afternoon shade in midsummer to extend the season.
The dates above are anchored to New York's average last spring frost date of 04-25 (NYC/LI) to 05-15 (Upstate), with offsets standard across university Extension publications. For zone-specific local timing, use the frost date lookup tool with your ZIP code.
More on growing lettuce
The full growing guide for lettuce - varieties, soil, fertilization, pests, harvest, storage - is here: Lettuce growing guide.
More New York planting information
- Full New York planting calendar (all crops + ornamentals)
- Find your exact USDA zone by ZIP
- Look up your average frost dates
- Seed starting timeline calculator