When to plant lettuce in Tennessee

Lettuce
Plant out in Nashville
Mar 18–Apr 8

Across Tennessee the window opens between March 2 and April 5. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Nashville
Feb 4–Feb 18
Plant out, Nashville
Mar 18–Apr 8
Sow outdoors, Nashville
Mar 4–Apr 8
Fall planting, Nashville
Sep 5–Sep 19
Last frost, Nashville
Apr 1

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Lettuce bolts in heat. Sow small batches every two weeks in spring and again in late summer.

Lettuce planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
NashvilleMar 18–Apr 8
MemphisMar 2–Mar 23
KnoxvilleMar 28–Apr 18
ChattanoogaMar 10–Mar 31
ClarksvilleMar 20–Apr 10
MurfreesboroMar 26–Apr 16
FranklinMar 20–Apr 10
Johnson CityApr 5–Apr 26
JacksonMar 19–Apr 9
HendersonvilleMar 28–Apr 18
SmyrnaMar 30–Apr 20
Spring HillMar 20–Apr 10
KingsportMar 26–Apr 16
BartlettMar 15–Apr 5
GallatinApr 2–Apr 23
LebanonMar 23–Apr 13
ColliervilleMar 15–Apr 5
ClevelandMar 23–Apr 13
ColumbiaMar 27–Apr 17
BrentwoodApr 1–Apr 22
Mount JulietMar 18–Apr 8
La VergneMar 30–Apr 20
GermantownMar 8–Mar 29
CookevilleMar 31–Apr 21
Oak RidgeMar 22–Apr 12
MorristownMar 27–Apr 17
MaryvilleMar 18–Apr 8
BristolApr 2–Apr 23
ShelbyvilleMar 24–Apr 14
FarragutMar 22–Apr 12
All 33 cities
CityStart indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingLast frost
NashvilleFeb 4 to Feb 18Mar 18 to Apr 8Mar 4 to Apr 8Sep 5 to Sep 19Apr 1
MemphisJan 19 to Feb 2Mar 2 to Mar 23Feb 16 to Mar 23Sep 21 to Oct 5Mar 16
KnoxvilleFeb 14 to Feb 28Mar 28 to Apr 18Mar 14 to Apr 18Sep 2 to Sep 16Apr 11
ChattanoogaJan 27 to Feb 10Mar 10 to Mar 31Feb 24 to Mar 31Sep 14 to Sep 28Mar 24
ClarksvilleFeb 6 to Feb 20Mar 20 to Apr 10Mar 6 to Apr 10Sep 6 to Sep 20Apr 3
MurfreesboroFeb 12 to Feb 26Mar 26 to Apr 16Mar 12 to Apr 16Sep 1 to Sep 15Apr 9
FranklinFeb 6 to Feb 20Mar 20 to Apr 10Mar 6 to Apr 10Sep 5 to Sep 19Apr 3
Johnson CityFeb 22 to Mar 8Apr 5 to Apr 26Mar 22 to Apr 26Aug 29 to Sep 12Apr 19
JacksonFeb 5 to Feb 19Mar 19 to Apr 9Mar 5 to Apr 9Sep 3 to Sep 17Apr 2
HendersonvilleFeb 14 to Feb 28Mar 28 to Apr 18Mar 14 to Apr 18Sep 3 to Sep 17Apr 11
SmyrnaFeb 16 to Mar 2Mar 30 to Apr 20Mar 16 to Apr 20Aug 26 to Sep 9Apr 13
Spring HillFeb 6 to Feb 20Mar 20 to Apr 10Mar 6 to Apr 10Sep 6 to Sep 20Apr 3
KingsportFeb 12 to Feb 26Mar 26 to Apr 16Mar 12 to Apr 16Sep 3 to Sep 17Apr 9
BartlettFeb 1 to Feb 15Mar 15 to Apr 5Mar 1 to Apr 5Sep 10 to Sep 24Mar 29
GallatinFeb 19 to Mar 5Apr 2 to Apr 23Mar 19 to Apr 23Aug 28 to Sep 11Apr 16
LebanonFeb 9 to Feb 23Mar 23 to Apr 13Mar 9 to Apr 13Sep 2 to Sep 16Apr 6
ColliervilleFeb 1 to Feb 15Mar 15 to Apr 5Mar 1 to Apr 5Sep 8 to Sep 22Mar 29
ClevelandFeb 9 to Feb 23Mar 23 to Apr 13Mar 9 to Apr 13Sep 4 to Sep 18Apr 6
ColumbiaFeb 13 to Feb 27Mar 27 to Apr 17Mar 13 to Apr 17Sep 1 to Sep 15Apr 10
BrentwoodFeb 18 to Mar 4Apr 1 to Apr 22Mar 18 to Apr 22Aug 31 to Sep 14Apr 15
Mount JulietFeb 4 to Feb 18Mar 18 to Apr 8Mar 4 to Apr 8Sep 9 to Sep 23Apr 1
La VergneFeb 16 to Mar 2Mar 30 to Apr 20Mar 16 to Apr 20Aug 26 to Sep 9Apr 13
GermantownJan 25 to Feb 8Mar 8 to Mar 29Feb 22 to Mar 29Sep 12 to Sep 26Mar 22
CookevilleFeb 17 to Mar 3Mar 31 to Apr 21Mar 17 to Apr 21Aug 30 to Sep 13Apr 14
Oak RidgeFeb 8 to Feb 22Mar 22 to Apr 12Mar 8 to Apr 12Sep 6 to Sep 20Apr 5
MorristownFeb 13 to Feb 27Mar 27 to Apr 17Mar 13 to Apr 17Sep 2 to Sep 16Apr 10
MaryvilleFeb 4 to Feb 18Mar 18 to Apr 8Mar 4 to Apr 8Sep 7 to Sep 21Apr 1
BristolFeb 19 to Mar 5Apr 2 to Apr 23Mar 19 to Apr 23Aug 29 to Sep 12Apr 16
ShelbyvilleFeb 10 to Feb 24Mar 24 to Apr 14Mar 10 to Apr 14Sep 3 to Sep 17Apr 7
FarragutFeb 8 to Feb 22Mar 22 to Apr 12Mar 8 to Apr 12Sep 6 to Sep 20Apr 5
East RidgeJan 27 to Feb 10Mar 10 to Mar 31Feb 24 to Mar 31Sep 14 to Sep 28Mar 24
TullahomaFeb 9 to Feb 23Mar 23 to Apr 13Mar 9 to Apr 13Sep 4 to Sep 18Apr 6
SpringfieldFeb 12 to Feb 26Mar 26 to Apr 16Mar 12 to Apr 16Sep 2 to Sep 16Apr 9

Questions

When should I plant lettuce in Tennessee?

In Nashville, plant out from March 18 to April 8. Across Tennessee the window opens between March 2 and April 5, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Tennessee

Lettuce in other states

Frost dates for every city in Tennessee