Container Lettuce Success and Growing Tips
We eat a lot of lettuce. A lot, especially during the summer months. Our refrigerator used to be half-filled with giant plastic clamshells of lettuce. There were both a giant space hog, and also an ecological nightmare. Add-in my weekly lettuce expenditures and I knew there had to be a better way. There is; grow your own. Read on to learn how to achieve Container Lettuce Success and some valuable Growing Tips.
The ins and outs of container lettuce success
A few summers ago I decided to try my hand at container lettuce gardening. While I’ve had great success, there have been some misses. I started small, have expanded each summer, and I’m ready to tackle Phase 2 next summer. I’ll take you through my growing journey, from pre-planted lettuce, to planted lettuce, to expanded gardens. I can’t wait for Phase 2.
When we had a big yard, I was a reluctant gardener. Honestly, the sheer space and number of plants to tend overwhelmed me. Life was already so busy then, and I had visions of vigorous planting and then rapid plant death as I forgot to water, or overwatered. Container gardening, on our terrace, feels just right. I’ll never plant too much because I want to keep plenty of open space for us to enjoy. But I’ve become an enthusiastic container lettuce gardener. While I’ve had my share of success, this summer has added a few failures into the mix. But we’ve also had some amazing salads, especially our favorite .
The first summer of container lettuce
About four summers ago, we were a newly downsized couple. Unable to find our perfect new spot, we’d decided to rent for a year to stay on the hunt. We moved to the City Lakes area where we knew we wanted to end up, both to try it out and to keep close tabs on anything coming available. We rented a pretty large two-bedroom (not realizing we’d have our recent graduate living with us, and the onset of Covid). Still, the balcony was huge and I eagerly gathered pots and started planting. I was purely a flower girl back then. No vegetables yet on the horizon.
No matter how much I planted, it never felt like too much. It was a few watering cans every morning or evening and everything seemed happy and thrived. But on a trip to the local plant store in mid-June, I spotted beautiful mixed greens pushing up and out of a painted colander. This was the start of a new obsession: Container Lettuce.
My first crop
Little did I know then that this colander with the built-in drainage and the perfect amount of soil was a recipe for success. And success was mine. We had a few cuttings of amazing, tender, sweet, truly delicious mixed greens. But I made a critical error about a month later as I got overzealous in my cutting of the tender leaves.
I cut from the center of the plant instead of around the perimeter, and I cut too much at one time. I have no idea why, but I just assumed that due to my growing success, my lettuce would just keep growing back. I even pictured needing to move it indoors come fall.
Container lettuce success
I don’t want to under-emphasize the success of the first four to six weeks of my crop. I even went back and bought a second container of planted lettuce, but in a less cute container. I cut and washed and spun the tender leaves, carefully layering them into containers, separated by paper towels to absorb the moisture.
I got a little bit cocky about my container lettuce
Friends who were true gardeners claimed they couldn’t grow lettuce successfully. Bugs, slugs, deer and various pests always got to the tender leaves before they could. I secretly beamed at my success. It was as simple as planting containers on our balcony. Until it wasn’t.
About week six- to seven in my container lettuce journey, I began to realize the leaves were not growing back. I watered more, then less, but nothing seemed to change the fact my lettuce had ceased to regenerate. I did what anyone would do and turned to Google for answers. And yes, I had committed the cardinal sin of container lettuce gardening – cutting too much at once, and not sticking to outer leaves.
Products I love for container gardening success
There’s little doubt that your own homegrown lettuce is far fresher than anything you’ll buy in a store. Still, when you bring in a particularly large bowl of it, it’s important to handle it and store it appropriately to give it the longest freshness window.
Since becoming a Container Gardener, especially of lettuce, here are a few of my favorite things that not only make harvesting it fun and easy, but also greatly add to its freshness timeline.
Safeguard your lettuce success
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For storing my freshly harvested greens, here’s my favorite storage container:
For snipping the lettuce, I love these:
Having a salad spinner is non-negotiable when growing your own lettuce. I love the pump action on this one:
Container lettuce gardening success tips
Why did my lettuce stop regenerating?
The short answer here is that lettuce grows from the inside out. This means that if you cut the inner leaves, or the crown, the plant will cease to grow.
What is this method called?
This is referred to as the “Cut-and-come-again” method. Believe me when I say this is very important. Without the central ‘crown’ left intact, new leaves will not sprout. If you do this properly, your lettuce will continue to regrow, for six- to eight weeks.
How do I cut the outer leaves?
It’s best to use a kitchen shears, a small knife, or even your fingers to cut/break the stem near the base. Be careful not to damage the crown when snipping these outer leaves.
How do I plant container lettuce
Lettuce has shallow roots and can be planted in as little as six inches of potting soil. Make sure there is good drainage so you don’t get root rot.
How close together can I plant lettuce
Plant lettuce roughly 6-10″ apart.
How do I care for my lettuce
Lettuce likes sun, but not too much. While at least 4 hours a day is preferable, be careful of continual sun exposure.
Water consistently, when feeling dry. Do not overwater.
Fertilizer: If you use fresh potting mix, fertilizer shouldn’t be necessary.
Mulching across the top of your container will help preserve moisture for your lettuce.
Why do my lettuce plants suddenly have thick stalks?
This is called “bolting” and is difficult to correct once it’s begun. When temps rise, your lettuce plants may go to seed or “bolt.” Moving your planters to a shadier area in the heat of the summer can sometimes reduce the likelihood of this happening.
Summer heat is very hard on lettuce
I always assumed summer heat would help lettuce grow prolifically. Not so. Lettuce grows best in spring and fall. It can survive summer, but you may need to move your pots to a more protected/shaded area when things begin to heat up.
Our summer, so far, has been alternating strong storms and blazing heat spells. This has not been a good environment for this summer’s crop. My lettuce has either withered or bolted and neither makes for a very tasty salad. But I persevere. I am even considering buying some new lettuce plants and replanting.
Once you’ve tasted success in your Lettuce Container Garden, it’s hard to go back to store-bought. And all the clamshells . . .
Phase 2 in my container lettuce gardening journey
Next summer, I plan to plant rotating crops from seed. Not only does this mean my crop can start earlier and keep going longer, but it will also ensure plenty of tender stalks well into fall. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post next spring when I chronicle taking it from seed to lettuce leaf.
Last update on 2025-10-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
