Quick Answer
The five best fall lettuce varieties for a Suffolk County backyard are: Black Seeded Simpson (loose-leaf, fastest), Buttercrunch (butterhead, sweet), Red Sails (loose-leaf, color), Winter Density (romaine-butterhead cross, frost-tolerant), and Mâche (cold-hardy, harvest into December). Sow between August 22 and September 5 in Suffolk County. A 4×8 bed produces 12–15 lbs of lettuce through Halloween with 0.25 cubic yards of Compost worked in before sowing.
1. Black Seeded Simpson — Sow August 22
Black Seeded Simpson is the fastest fall lettuce — 45 days from seed to first harvest. Loose-leaf, light green, mild flavor. Tolerates Suffolk County's warm late-August soil better than most lettuces.
Sow ¼" deep, broadcast or in 12" rows, thin to 6" spacing. For a 4×8 bed dedicating 8 sq ft to Black Seeded Simpson, expect 4 lbs of harvest by mid-October.
2. Buttercrunch — Sow August 25
Buttercrunch is the workhorse butterhead. 55 days to harvest, sweet and tender, holds well in cool weather without bolting. The most reliable fall butterhead for Suffolk County's mid-October temperatures.
Sow ¼" deep, thin to 8" spacing once seedlings have two true leaves. Heat-tolerant enough for August soil temperatures in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Charlestown.
3. Red Sails — Sow August 28
Red Sails brings color to the fall bed — burgundy-tipped loose-leaf with green center. 50 days to harvest. Holds in cool weather better than most red varieties.
The color deepens as temperatures drop in October. Pairs well with green lettuces in a mixed-row planting.
4. Winter Density — Sow September 1
Winter Density is a romaine-butterhead cross bred for cold tolerance. 60 days to harvest. The most frost-resistant lettuce on this list — survives light frosts down to 28°F without row cover, and well below with cover.
For deeper season-extension techniques to push Winter Density into November, see How to Build a Cold Frame in a Mattapan Backyard — Mattapan and Suffolk County share a frost calendar.
5. Mâche (Corn Salad) — Sow September 5
Mâche is the secret weapon — small cold-hardy rosette greens that harvest through December and into January under row cover. 50 days to harvest, cold-tolerant to 5°F.
Sow ¼" deep, broadcast in 4×4 patches. Mâche tastes sweeter after frost — the harvest window opens just as the rest of the lettuce bed winds down.
Bed Prep for All Five
For a 4×8 raised bed: - 0.25 cubic yards of Compost worked into the top 6". - 0.1 cubic yards of Garden Soil Mix if the bed has lost height.
Browse the Raised Garden Bed Materials collection for per-yard rates and delivery to South Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Hyde Park.
For the parallel garlic timeline that runs alongside fall lettuce, see When Should I Plant Garlic in a Hingham Bed? — same Zone 6b coastal logic applies in Suffolk County.
Sowing Calendar at a Glance
| Variety | Sow Date | Days to Harvest | Cold Tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Seeded Simpson | Aug 22 | 45 | 28°F |
| Buttercrunch | Aug 25 | 55 | 28°F |
| Red Sails | Aug 28 | 50 | 28°F |
| Winter Density | Sep 1 | 60 | 25°F |
| Mâche | Sep 5 | 50 | 5°F |
For full MA lettuce variety guidance and disease-resistance notes, the UMass Extension Vegetable Program is the authoritative source.
