Yes, You Can Grow Lettuce in Summer with a Tower Garden—Here’s How 🌞🥬

When you think of summer, lettuce might not be the first crop that comes to mind. Traditionally, lettuce is known as a cool-season plant that wilts under pressure (aka heat). But with a Tower Garden, you don’t have to give up your fresh salads when the temps start to rise.

Thanks to the Tower’s unique aeroponic design that keeps roots cool and consistently hydrated, lettuce can thrive even when the mercury hits 90–100°F. But success in summer growing depends on a few strategic choices. Let’s dive into how to grow lettuce like a pro—even in the heat of summer.

1. Choose Heat-tolerant Lettuce Varieties
2. Plant an Extra Seed or Two
3. Provide a Little Afternoon Shade
4. Real Feel Temps Don't Matter - Air Temperatures Do
5. Review Our Summer Growing Tips

🥬 1. Choose Heat-Tolerant Lettuce Varieties

Not all lettuces are created equal—especially in the summer. If you're planning to grow lettuce in the warmer months, stick with heat-tolerant varieties.  Our favorites are

• Red Summer Crisp Cherokee
• Red Summer Crisp Magenta
• Muir
• Starfighter
• Bibb

These varieties are known for their ability to hold up longer before bolting (when the plant shifts into flowering and turns bitter).

🌱 2. Plant an Extra Seed or Two (Trust Us)

When growing loose leaf lettuce in summer, try using an extra seed or two per rockwool cube, so two to three in total. Why? You’ll get more leaves per planting, which means you can harvest smaller, tender leaves more often—before the plant bolts in the heat. Think of it as speed harvesting.

 

⛱️ 3. Provide a Little Afternoon Shade

Even though Tower Gardens can handle high temps, giving your lettuce a break from intense afternoon sun can make a big difference. If your Tower is outdoors and temps are creeping into the high 90s:

• Move it to a spot with afternoon shade, or
• Use a shade cloth to filter harsh sunlight during peak heat hours

This reduces plant stress and can delay bolting.

🔥 4. Real Feel Temps Don’t Matter—Air Temperature Does

This is a common myth we love busting: Plants don’t feel humidity. The "real feel" or heat index is for humans. For your Tower Garden, what matters is actual air temperature.

So if the real feel is 105°F, but the air temp is 94°F, you're still within range to grow heat-tolerant lettuce (especially with a little shade).

📋 5. Review Our Summer Growing Tips

We’ve rounded up the top ways to keep your Tower Garden thriving through the heat. Before planting your next batch of greens, be sure to check out our 10 Summer Tower Garden Growing Tips to Ensure Success.

From water level tricks to nutrient adjustments and crop selection, it’s all covered.

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💡 Bonus: Bring Your Tower Garden Indoors

If it’s too hot to handle outside, bring the garden inside! Tower Garden makes it easy to grow lettuce indoors year-round with LED Grow Lights. Whether it’s July or January, you’ll have a steady supply of crispy greens.

Final Thought:
Summer lettuce? Absolutely. With the right varieties, a few smart tweaks, and the power of a Tower Garden, you can keep growing your own fresh food—no matter what season it is.