I find a fortnight ahead of planting out is plenty. Plus four to five days for hardening off. So roughly 3 weeks altogether from sowing to transplanting outside. I grow in small pinches in modules and do not pot on. No heat and no lights. (I grow them in a glass porch). Lettuce tolerates pulling apart of several seedlings from a clump. I don't mind if some get a better start than others because I don't want them all ready at once anyway.

Good info from Flora. I'm a bit surprised that you are planting out so late in your zone 8 though. That is almost a month after my plant-out in my zone. Are you at a high altitude? When is your last frost date?

And the leafy greens can almost always go out weeks before tomatoes and peppers do.

Dave

I'm only at 450 feet. Last frost average in my area is May 10. I am going to try and put out lettuce earlier this year.

Last frost average in my area is May 10.

How weird. The last frost date for most of zone 8 is March 15th. Mine is April 15th and that is at 1000' elevation.

Granted those are just averages but I wonder why yours is so late? You might want to investigate that more with your local county ag extension office. Many state extension websites offer specific locale LFDs.

Dave