Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Inspiration

How to harvest romaine lettuce you can eat fresh from the garden

How to harvest and regrow romaine lettuce

Cayla Leonard
By

Romaine lettuce is one of the most popular types of lettuce. It has a fresh flavor that’s not too bitter or too sweet, and it full of nutrients, making it a versatile vegetable. If you’ve been considering adding romaine to your garden, you might have wondered how easy it is to grow and harvest. Not to worry, we’ll answer all your romaine questions, from when to plant it to how to harvest it. We’ll even include some tips and tricks for propagating your romaine.

3 people holding a small wooden crate full of lettuce

Planting romaine

Romaine is a quick growing plant, and the seeds and seedlings are surprisingly frost tolerant. This makes romaine a low risk, high reward plant for either your spring or fall vegetable gardens. Many nurseries and gardening stores carry romaine seedlings or starter plants. Starter plants can typically be planted as soon as you get them.

You can start romaine seeds indoors 10 to 15 weeks before the last frost, and transplant them into your garden four to six weeks after that. Starting seeds indoors isn’t typically done for fall gardens, but you might want to consider it if you live in an area that regularly sees late summer temperatures above 85 or 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Romaine thrives in mild temperatures and can become bitter and wilted when too hot.

Related

Romaine seeds can also be sown directly into your garden, they just need to be started a bit later. Instead of 10 to 15 weeks, start outdoor seeds six to eight weeks, or about a month and a half to two months, before the last frost of the season. For fall gardens, start outdoor seeds in late summer, six to eight weeks before the first frost.

Romaine enjoys moist, thick, rich soil. Mixing compost into your soil is a great way to boost it and keep your lettuce happy. When planting romaine seeds, they need very little cover but plenty of space. In order to grow full heads, romaine needs to be spaced about 6 inches apart. You can either plant your seeds this far apart, or plant the seeds about an inch apart and thin them when they sprout. Since there’s no guarantee that every seed will sprout, the latter method is a good way to maximize crop size.

Lettuce growing in hanging baskets

Caring for romaine

Romaine needs plenty of sun, but it tolerates some shade quite well, especially in hotter climates. In hot, dry climates, romaine will actually grow better with morning sun and afternoon shade. Since it’s more shade tolerant than many other vegetables, romaine is a great choice if you have a shadier section of your garden that other vegetables won’t grow in, or if you’re looking for a space filler between taller plants.

The main thing romaine needs is water. Water is what keeps lettuce leaves crunchy and delicious, which is why they wilt when dehydrated. Water is especially important in hotter, drier climates, but romaine in more mild climates, or climates with more regular rainfall, may need less water. Mulch helps slow evaporation, keeping water in the soil.

Romaine leaves are a target for rabbits, slugs, and aphids. Since the leaves are the part of the lettuce plant that we eat, spraying them with chemicals isn’t a great idea. Rabbits can be kept at bay with raised beds, a solid fence, or an owl-shaped scarecrow. Slugs can be contained using beer traps and copper tape, and aphids are easily controlled by ladybugs. Growing romaine in containers, especially hanging baskets, can also help alleviate pest problems.

Lettuce scraps in small glasses with water, growing leaves, on a window sill

How to harvest romaine

Romaine can be harvested in two ways. You can harvest only the leaves, or the whole head. Harvesting the leaves gives you more lettuce overall, but in smaller bursts. This is a great method if you want just a few leaves at a time for salads or sandwiches. Harvesting the whole head may result in less lettuce overall, but you get all of it at once. This method is better for larger meals. You can also harvest the leaves for a bit, then harvest the full head later, but the leaves will need time to recover.

Whichever method you choose, you’ll need a sharp garden knife or shears. To harvest the full head, make one cut at the base of the plant to remove it. You may need to hold the leaves up with one hand to get a good look at what you’re doing. When harvesting just the leaves, use the shears or knife to gently remove a leaf. The leaf doesn’t need to be fully grown, but should be at least a month old. Don’t cut the leaf all the way to the stem, both to avoid cutting the stem accidentally and to encourage a new leaf to grow in the same spot.

When you harvest the full head of romaine, save the bottom few inches of the stem. This can be placed in a half-inch of water and set in a sunny window. The stem will begin to regrow leaves, which can be harvested. It won’t produce a full head, and the leaves will be smaller, but they’ll taste just as good.

Romaine lettuce is a tasty, low-maintenance addition to any spring or fall vegetable garden. If you’re a fan of fresh, crunchy salads and flavorful sandwich ingredients, then try your hand at growing some romaine. Indoors or out, from seed or from seedling, romaine rarely disappoints. Just remember to keep an eye out for the rabbits, slugs, and aphids that enjoy romaine as much as we do!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
The best vegetables to plant in November
Tips on which vegetables to grow when the temperatures drop
Kiera Baron
By Kiera Baron
November 4, 2022
Pumpkin on a vine

Some vegetables are more suited to be grown in cooler months than others. It all depends on their growing conditions and the kind of environment they prefer. When you’re planting vegetables during winter, the chances are you’re planting them in an insular setting — be it in a greenhouse or in your home. These are a few ideal vegetables to plant in November, but there are many others beyond them if these aren’t up your alley.

Rhubarb
Growing rhubarb in containers during the winter is possible, so long as you have a large enough pot to accommodate the plant. With rhubarb, depth is more important than width (depending on how many you want per pot) because of its large root system. You want to make sure you select pots or containers that are sturdy, have good drainage, and are at least twenty inches deep. To the same effect, the soil should be designed for good draining to avoid drowning or rotting the plant. A healthy rhubarb could live and produce for up to ten years if you play your hand right.

Read more
4 November garden plants you should consider growing
The best crops and landscape plants for late fall
Cayla Leonard
By Cayla Leonard
November 3, 2022
Close-up of daffodils in sunlight

November is the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, so it isn’t typically a time when people think about working in their gardens. However, November can still be a productive gardening month! We’ve prepared a list of four flowers and vegetables you can plant in your garden this November — we’ll even give you tips and tricks for growing them, what climates they grow best in, and when you can expect to see results. If you aren’t planning on planting a cover crop this winter, try out one of these four November garden plants.

Daffodils
Daffodils are spring-blooming flowers, but they’re often planted in the fall. Daffodil bulbs should be planted two or three weeks before the ground freezes, so keep an eye on your local weather for the best results. In mild climates, daffodils can be planted as late as the end of November, while cooler climates may need to plant them in September or October.

Read more
What’s in season at the farmers market this November
Here's what veggies to look for at the November farmers market
Rebecca Wolken
By Rebecca Wolken
November 2, 2022
Farmers market

The weather has cooled down. You head out on those chilly Saturday mornings and notice that the stock at your favorite local farmers market is dwindling. The tomatoes aren't as plentiful and the berry selection is kind of paltry. However, while the growing season might be winding down, that doesn't mean there aren't still plenty of crops and delicious foods you can find at your local market. We'll discuss what's in season, what you should look for, and what to do with these colder-weather crops.

The benefits of eating seasonally
The zucchini crop at the farmers market might be thinning, but you'll find all sorts of produce at the grocery store. So why continue to go to a farmers market when you can get tomatoes year-round? There are several reasons why eating seasonally is better for you, but one of the biggest reasons is supporting smaller and more local growers. We all know it's best to shop local or go out of our way to help "the little guy," which is also true when buying food for your family. So not only are you investing in the local economy, but you're also providing a living for a family doing something that they love.

Read more