Why lettuce bolts

The pretty flowers do attract beneficial and pollinating insects, however, and will eventually produce seeds. Do you have any tricks to share on growing lettuce or preventing bolting? Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Disclosure Policy Privacy Policy. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By clicking accept you give us permission to set cookies. Accept Read More. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website.

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We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. There are many heat resistant cultivars on the market. I grow Jericho, which was bred in Israel, all summer. Cimmaron too. Sparx and Cherokee are two I am trying this season. Your email address will not be published.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Our gardening obsessed editors and writers choose every product we review. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy from one of our product links, at no extra cost to you. Tips for Growing Lettuce To prevent bolting, planting leafy lettuces in the spring and continually harvesting cutting them back during the year will likely prevent bolting and provide lettuce leaves for most of the summer.

Comments I make sure to plant all my leafy greens successively, which helps ensure even if one lot bolt there is another coming. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Privacy Policy. You can tuck it behind or under taller plants or grow it in pots that can be moved to a shadier site. Regular watering helps to keep the soil cool and the leaves succulent. A good trick for starting seeds in the summer is to use cold water to thoroughly soak the area to be planted a few days before sowing.

After watering, cover the damp soil with a wide board. Repeat this process daily if the weather is particularly hot and dry. Within a couple of days, the soil under the board will be cooler than the surrounding soil. It's a good idea to test with a soil thermometer to be sure you've achieved the correct temperature for your seeds to sprout. Sow your seeds, water them, and cover the soil again with the board. Check daily for signs of germination. At the first sight of green sprouts, remove the board.

Shade cloth also can be used to protect young seedlings and tender leafy greens. Most garden centers carry the types of covers specifically designed to let in rain and sun but, at the same time, protect the vegetables under cover from strong UV rays that can cause early bolting.

Row covers also protect greens and cold-season crops from pests such as cabbage loopers and rabbits. You will need to provide supports along with the cover to keep the cloth elevated above the plants and giving them room to grow. If you see your cool-season vegetables start to form flower buds, pinch out the buds.

Once the plant has begun the process of flowering and reseeding it will eventually bolt, but you may be able to extend your harvest a little longer by pinching out the flower buds early on. University of Maryland Extension.

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