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What is it?
Bolting is a condition which occurs in lettuce plants when an elongated stalk with flowers grows from within the main stem of the lettuce plant. Bolting is a condition that occurs not only in lettuce plants, but in many plants in the vegetable garden including the variety of plants in the cabbage family. Those cabbage family plants include broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, chinese cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi and of course the common cabbage.
What does it look like?
Lettuce bolting appears in weather that is hot. Neither dry nor wet climates tend to favor lettuce bolting, but rather the heat associated with those climates. Lettuce plant bolting is easy to spot. When lettuce bolts, the elongated stalk is covered with flowers. The elongated stalk is what is known as a lettuce seed stalk. The lettuce seed stalk typically sprouts from the center of the lettuce plant. It will be readily and easily visible as it grows from the main, or largest stem of the plant. Often when a lettuce plant is experiencing bolting, the center of the head of lettuce splits open and the elongated seed stalk emerges from within that opening. The stalk then flowers and is said to be in full bolt.
How does it manifest?
Usually bolting in lettuce plants is the result of exposure to exceedingly cold temperatures early on in the plant's growth, even though bolting doesn’t actually occur until the warmer temperatures begin. Often this exposure to cold occurs early in the growing season of the lettuce plant. Early exposure to cold temperatures is what will result in the formation of a seed stalk, and the resultant elongated bolting process of lettuce plants happens in the heat. Typically, once the lettuce plant reaches a size of approximately one a half to two inches across flower buds form within the plant. When the lettuce plant is exposed to cold temperatures between 40° and 50° for four or five days in a row however, these temperatures also can cause flower buds to form within the plant which precipitates bolting. These lettuce plant buds will remain dormant until the time in the growing season when the weather gets hot. When the heat begins, the lettuce plant buds turn into the tall flowered seed stalk. Lettuce bolting is a problem because as the elongated seed stalk grows and flowers, the taste of the plant deteriorates and becomes bitter.
What can you do about it?
Once the elongated seed stalk has sprouted from the lettuce plant, there is nothing you can do to prevent a bad flavor, and there are few who like to consume bitter tasting lettuce. Typically, it is best to discard any lettuce plants which have bolted entirely even though they are still edible but will be bitter. When planting any lettuce plants or other plants like those in the cabbage family which are susceptible to bolting, be sure that you don’t put plants out too early and it is best to get them in the ground after the cool temperatures have passed but before temperatures become too hot and the plants begin to bolt.
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