When to plant lettuce in Wisconsin

Plant out in Milwaukee

Apr 12–May 3

Across Wisconsin the window opens between April 5 and April 23. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Milwaukee: Mar 1–Mar 15
Plant out, Milwaukee: Apr 12–May 3
Sow outdoors, Milwaukee: Mar 29–May 3
Fall planting, Milwaukee: Aug 23–Sep 6
Last frost, Milwaukee: Apr 26

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

MilwaukeeApr 12–May 3

MadisonApr 17–May 8

Green BayApr 23–May 14

KenoshaApr 14–May 5

RacineApr 6–Apr 27

AppletonApr 20–May 11

Eau ClaireApr 10–May 1

WaukeshaApr 17–May 8

OshkoshApr 10–May 1

JanesvilleApr 12–May 3

West AllisApr 12–May 3

La CrosseApr 13–May 4

SheboyganApr 11–May 2

WauwatosaApr 12–May 3

Fond du LacApr 13–May 4

BrookfieldApr 16–May 7

Menomonee FallsApr 22–May 13

WausauApr 22–May 13

New BerlinApr 19–May 10

Sun PrairieApr 17–May 8

Oak CreekApr 8–Apr 29

GreenfieldApr 19–May 10

FranklinApr 19–May 10

BeloitApr 17–May 8

ManitowocApr 16–May 7

FitchburgApr 17–May 8

West BendApr 17–May 8

Mount PleasantApr 6–Apr 27

NeenahApr 20–May 11

SuperiorApr 22–May 13

All 43 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Sow outdoors	Fall planting	Last frost
Milwaukee	Mar 1 to Mar 15	Apr 12 to May 3	Mar 29 to May 3	Aug 23 to Sep 6	Apr 26
Madison	Mar 6 to Mar 20	Apr 17 to May 8	Apr 3 to May 8	Aug 14 to Aug 28	May 1
Green Bay	Mar 12 to Mar 26	Apr 23 to May 14	Apr 9 to May 14	Aug 14 to Aug 28	May 7
Kenosha	Mar 3 to Mar 17	Apr 14 to May 5	Mar 31 to May 5	Aug 24 to Sep 7	Apr 28
Racine	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 27	Mar 23 to Apr 27	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 20
Appleton	Mar 9 to Mar 23	Apr 20 to May 11	Apr 6 to May 11	Aug 11 to Aug 25	May 4
Eau Claire	Feb 27 to Mar 13	Apr 10 to May 1	Mar 27 to May 1	Aug 19 to Sep 2	Apr 24
Waukesha	Mar 6 to Mar 20	Apr 17 to May 8	Apr 3 to May 8	Aug 18 to Sep 1	May 1
Oshkosh	Feb 27 to Mar 13	Apr 10 to May 1	Mar 27 to May 1	Aug 25 to Sep 8	Apr 24
Janesville	Mar 1 to Mar 15	Apr 12 to May 3	Mar 29 to May 3	Aug 20 to Sep 3	Apr 26
West Allis	Mar 1 to Mar 15	Apr 12 to May 3	Mar 29 to May 3	Aug 27 to Sep 10	Apr 26
La Crosse	Mar 2 to Mar 16	Apr 13 to May 4	Mar 30 to May 4	Aug 18 to Sep 1	Apr 27
Sheboygan	Feb 28 to Mar 14	Apr 11 to May 2	Mar 28 to May 2	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 25
Wauwatosa	Mar 1 to Mar 15	Apr 12 to May 3	Mar 29 to May 3	Aug 23 to Sep 6	Apr 26
Fond du Lac	Mar 2 to Mar 16	Apr 13 to May 4	Mar 30 to May 4	Aug 24 to Sep 7	Apr 27
Brookfield	Mar 5 to Mar 19	Apr 16 to May 7	Apr 2 to May 7	Aug 19 to Sep 2	Apr 30
Menomonee Falls	Mar 11 to Mar 25	Apr 22 to May 13	Apr 8 to May 13	Aug 13 to Aug 27	May 6
Wausau	Mar 11 to Mar 25	Apr 22 to May 13	Apr 8 to May 13	Aug 9 to Aug 23	May 6
New Berlin	Mar 8 to Mar 22	Apr 19 to May 10	Apr 5 to May 10	Aug 19 to Sep 2	May 3
Sun Prairie	Mar 6 to Mar 20	Apr 17 to May 8	Apr 3 to May 8	Aug 15 to Aug 29	May 1
Oak Creek	Feb 25 to Mar 11	Apr 8 to Apr 29	Mar 25 to Apr 29	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 22
Greenfield	Mar 8 to Mar 22	Apr 19 to May 10	Apr 5 to May 10	Aug 19 to Sep 2	May 3
Franklin	Mar 8 to Mar 22	Apr 19 to May 10	Apr 5 to May 10	Aug 19 to Sep 2	May 3
Beloit	Mar 6 to Mar 20	Apr 17 to May 8	Apr 3 to May 8	Aug 17 to Aug 31	May 1
Manitowoc	Mar 5 to Mar 19	Apr 16 to May 7	Apr 2 to May 7	Aug 25 to Sep 8	Apr 30
Fitchburg	Mar 6 to Mar 20	Apr 17 to May 8	Apr 3 to May 8	Aug 14 to Aug 28	May 1
West Bend	Mar 6 to Mar 20	Apr 17 to May 8	Apr 3 to May 8	Aug 17 to Aug 31	May 1
Mount Pleasant	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 27	Mar 23 to Apr 27	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 20
Neenah	Mar 9 to Mar 23	Apr 20 to May 11	Apr 6 to May 11	Aug 11 to Aug 25	May 4
Superior	Mar 11 to Mar 25	Apr 22 to May 13	Apr 8 to May 13	Aug 14 to Aug 28	May 6
Stevens Point	Mar 9 to Mar 23	Apr 20 to May 11	Apr 6 to May 11	Aug 12 to Aug 26	May 4
Muskego	Mar 8 to Mar 22	Apr 19 to May 10	Apr 5 to May 10	Aug 19 to Sep 2	May 3
De Pere	Mar 5 to Mar 19	Apr 16 to May 7	Apr 2 to May 7	Aug 14 to Aug 28	Apr 30
Caledonia	Feb 27 to Mar 13	Apr 10 to May 1	Mar 27 to May 1	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 24
Mequon	Mar 11 to Mar 25	Apr 22 to May 13	Apr 8 to May 13	Aug 13 to Aug 27	May 6
Middleton	Mar 3 to Mar 17	Apr 14 to May 5	Mar 31 to May 5	Aug 20 to Sep 3	Apr 28
Watertown	Mar 3 to Mar 17	Apr 14 to May 5	Mar 31 to May 5	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 28
Howard	Mar 12 to Mar 26	Apr 23 to May 14	Apr 9 to May 14	Aug 14 to Aug 28	May 7
Pleasant Prairie	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 26	Mar 22 to Apr 26	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 19
Germantown	Mar 11 to Mar 25	Apr 22 to May 13	Apr 8 to May 13	Aug 13 to Aug 27	May 6
Onalaska	Feb 26 to Mar 12	Apr 9 to Apr 30	Mar 26 to Apr 30	Aug 22 to Sep 5	Apr 23
South Milwaukee	Feb 25 to Mar 11	Apr 8 to Apr 29	Mar 25 to Apr 29	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 22
Oconomowoc	Mar 5 to Mar 19	Apr 16 to May 7	Apr 2 to May 7	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 30

Questions

When should I plant lettuce in Wisconsin?

In Milwaukee, plant out from April 12 to May 3. Across Wisconsin the window opens between April 5 and April 23, 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 Wisconsin

Lettuce in other states

Frost dates for every city in Wisconsin