How to Build a Lettuce Bed

Lettuce needs constant moisture, a temperate climate, rich, loose soil and adequate water to thrive. Using a cloche or cold frame can actually extend your growing season by several weeks. Building a raised lettuce bed is ideal as it allows for easy drainage. If your soil is clay or slow to drain, till the area before planting and mix in a nutrient-rich topsoil. Lettuce needs at least an inch of water per week, which equates to about ½ gallon per plant, but too much water will cause the lettuce leaves to turn yellow, so monitoring water intake is critical for a successful growing season.


Select an area that is sheltered from the wind and provides direct sun for at least four to six hours per day in cooler climates or has afternoon shade in warmer or hot areas.


Turn the soil to a depth of at least 4 inches using a garden rake to remove all of the weeds, rocks and clumps of soil. Rake the soil with a lawn and leaf rake to level the surface. Work in an inch or more of compost to add nutrients before planting.


Build a raised planting bed by adding topsoil to create mounds. This is particularly important if the soil quality is poor.


Create planting rows in the elevated soil by attaching a piece of string to a garden stake and extending it the entire length of the lettuce bed. Attach the string to another stake at the other end of the bed to create a straight row. Do this for each raised bed and leave a 1-foot gap between each row.


Place a 1-by-4-inch length of lumber between each row. This step is optional, but it creates a solid surface to step on without compacting the soil.


Dig a narrow trench about ½ inch deep along the the top of each mound using a hoe.


Plant the seeds by dropping them into the rows and covering them with ½ inch of soil. Head lettuce should be planted 10 inches apart while leaf lettuce can be planted 6 inches apart. Gently tamp the soil.


Water the seeds after planting, taking care not to dislodge them. Moisture and heat are essential for germination, but the seeds should not be soaked or left in sitting water for any length of time.


Spread a 2-inch layer of mulch or compost over the lettuce beds when the plants reach 2 to 3 inches tall.