When to plant lettuce in Salt Lake City, Utah

March 3 – March 17

Transplant outdoors · typical Salt Lake City year

Climate basis: NOAA station Salt Lake Triad Ctr, UT (USC00427606), 1 mi (2 km) from downtown Salt Lake City (ZCTA 84111 centroid), elevation 4280 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lettuce outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (March 31). One year in ten still freezes after April 19.

Last spring freezeMarch 311-in-10 after Apr 19

First fall freezeNovember 81-in-10 before Oct 23

Frost-free season≈ 224 daysmedian at 32°F

Hard freeze, 28°Mar 8 – Nov 18kills even hardy greens

USDA zone7b5 to 10°F winter low — not frost timing

The Salt Lake City year

Start seeds indoorsJan 27 – Feb 10

Transplant outdoorsMar 3 – Mar 17

Direct-sow outdoorsMar 10 – Mar 24

Fall plantingSep 13 – Oct 11

indoors under lights
in the garden
frost-free season
1-in-10 years still freeze to Apr 19

Lettuce in Salt Lake City · freeze context from Salt Lake Triad Ctr, UT, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Start seeds indoors

Jan 27 – Feb 10

Sow 4–5 weeks before the set-out window opens (UNH 4–5 weeks; Missouri G6570 lists 6–8 weeks for head lettuce). Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Mar 31). University of New Hampshire Extension · University of Missouri Extension

Transplant outdoors

Mar 3 – Mar 17

UNH: safe to set out 3–4 weeks before the last frost. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Mar 31). University of New Hampshire Extension

Direct-sow outdoors

Mar 10 – Mar 24

Purdue: semi-hardy — 2–4 weeks before the last frost; Penn State's earliest sowing Apr 10 (−21 days) is the later start and is used. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Mar 31). Penn State Extension (York County Master Gardeners) · Purdue University Extension

Fall planting

Sep 13 – Oct 11

Purdue Table 2: plant fall lettuce at least 4–8 weeks before the first fall frost. Anchored to the median first fall freeze (Nov 8). Purdue University Extension

Variety assumption: Assumes leaf lettuce (about 45–55 days; head types run longer).

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:

Crop rule sources (4)

University of New Hampshire Extension: Growing Vegetables: When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden [fact sheet] (accessed 2026-07-24)
Per-crop 'time from seed to transplant' and 'safe to set out in garden' relative to last frost.
University of Missouri Extension: Starting Plants Indoors from Seeds (G6570) (accessed 2026-07-24)
Weeks needed to grow vegetable transplants indoors (Table 2).
Penn State Extension (York County Master Gardeners): Vegetable Seed Planting Guide (accessed 2026-07-24)
Earliest/latest sowing dates for a May 1 last-frost / Oct 1 first-frost baseline; offsets derived by date difference from May 1. Also days-to-maturity figures.
Purdue University Extension: Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W) (accessed 2026-07-24)
Hardiness classes: hardy = plant 4-6 wk before last spring frost; semi-hardy = 2-4 wk before; tender = after average last frost; very tender = at least 2 wk after. Table 2: fall planting at least 4-8 wk before first fall frost.

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