When to Plant Lettuce in Cairns, Tropical Guide

Sow March to June. Right now in September it is out of season. The next sowing month is March.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Lettuce guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Lettuce

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Lettuce is the most commonly grown salad green in Australian home gardens. Available in four main types: crisphead (iceberg), cos/romaine, butterhead, and loose-leaf. It is a cool-season crop that bolts rapidly in heat, making variety selection and planting timing critical. Fast-growing (4-8 weeks to harvest) and adaptable to containers, garden beds, and even part shade.

Planting Calendar for Tropical

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - S S/T/D S/T/D T/D - - - - - -

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

Want a nudge when it is Lettuce sowing time in Cairns?

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 21.4°C (optimal range: 5–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.

How to Grow Lettuce in Tropical Australia

When to Plant

April-August (dry season). Too hot and humid for summer growing. Focus on loose-leaf types that can be harvested young before bolting.

Soil
Light, well-drained soil enriched with compost. Lettuce has shallow roots and prefers loose, friable soil.
pH Range
6.0-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun in cool seasons. Part shade essential in warm zones and during warm months to delay bolting.
Spacing
25cm apart, 30cm between rows
Watering
Light, frequent watering to keep soil consistently moist. Shallow roots dry out quickly. Morning watering preferred. Drip irrigation or soaker hose ideal. Avoid overhead watering to prevent disease.

Companion plants: Carrot, Radish, Strawberry, Chive, Onion, Marigold

Avoid planting near: Celery (some allelopathic evidence), Parsley (competes for same nutrients)

Tropical Growing Tips for Lettuce

Recommended Varieties

  • Darwin (oakleaf, extremely heat tolerant)
  • Green Oakleaf
  • Red Oakleaf
  • Salad Bowl
  • Coral (loose-leaf types only)

Key Challenges

  • Bolts within days once temperatures exceed 28C
  • Humidity promotes fungal diseases
  • Slug pressure in wet season

Pro Tips

  • Lettuce is fundamentally a marginal crop in the tropics, manage expectations
  • Grow only loose-leaf oakleaf types; heading varieties will fail
  • Harvest as baby leaf (4-5 weeks) before bolting

Harvesting Lettuce

When ready: Loose-leaf: when leaves are 10-15cm (baby) or 20cm+ (full size). Heading types: when head is firm and full-sized. Cos: when upright head is dense. Harvest before any signs of flower stalk elongation (bolting).

How to harvest: Cut-and-come-again: cut outer leaves at base for loose-leaf types. Whole head: cut at soil level with sharp knife in cool of morning. For cos, can harvest outer leaves or whole head.

Where to next

What lettuce costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the tropical zone this September: Lemongrass, Ginger, Cucumber and Basil.

The pest most likely to find your lettuce: Botrytis / Grey Mould.

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Common Questions About Lettuce

When do you plant lettuce in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does lettuce grow all year round in Cairns?

No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Mar to Jun. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.