"---Pete---" wrote in message
...
Yeah, I do all leaf lettuce too. I start mine indoors in early march
ant they take 2 months to get to transplant size. I never seem to have
much luck with seeding direct in the garden.

What is the best technique for planting lettuce in the garden?

I start Romaine indoors under lights about a month before setting out in the
spring. Seeds are broadcast in trays filled with potting soil, then thinned
to stand about 2" apart. I also broadcast some seed outdoors at the same
time, rake them in lightly, and cover the seed bed with a light pine straw
mulch to prevent the soil from drying. Germination takes longer sowing
outdoors but the results are usually good.

Come mid-August, I sow more seeds indoors and set out the 4" seedlings
mid-September.

As for growing lettuce in the summer; here in Zone 7 along the mid-Atlantic
US coastal plain, I don't even bother. It/s too hot and humid and besides,
my limited garden space is filled with plants that love the heat. You
might try putting a lattice over the plants to create some shade, plant them
in the shade of taller plants, or someplace where they get only the morning
sun.

--
TQ