Lettuce has bolted

[hangin'witthepeeps]

So my lettuce has all bolted from the heat. I'm sad, my cucumbers are coming in really well and my tomatoes are getting pinkish. So no summer salad. It's 90 degrees in the shade so I wouldn't think my grow table on my porch would grow me lettuce, but I wanted ya'lls opinion. Can I still have summer lettuce? I love salads with all the fixings. I have a spare bathroom with a brooder lamp for my little chicks who have grown up and moved out to the coop. Could I put my grow table in there and grow lettuce? Does anyone here grow lettuce inside? If you do I would like to see your set up. Is a brooder light too strong?

 

[wifezilla]

I use compact CFL's for growing inside. A brooder light is designed for heat and you want light. It might be worth a try if you switch that bulb out.

I tend to plant lettuce in partial shade areas. Mine hasn't bolted yet, but all my radishes did

 

[hoodat]

So my lettuce has all bolted from the heat. I'm sad, my cucumbers are coming in really well and my tomatoes are getting pinkish. So no summer salad. It's 90 degrees in the shade so I wouldn't think my grow table on my porch would grow me lettuce, but I wanted ya'lls opinion. Can I still have summer lettuce? I love salads with all the fixings. I have a spare bathroom with a brooder lamp for my little chicks who have grown up and moved out to the coop. Could I put my grow table in there and grow lettuce? Does anyone here grow lettuce inside? If you do I would like to see your set up. Is a brooder light too strong?

Try oak leaf lettuce. It will still bolt but it's less likely to go bitter. I've eaten the leaves off the flower stalk after it bolted and they were still good. Bolting is due to day length as much as to heat.

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

So, if day length is the problem, I could grow on my porch and cover at 7 pm with a shade cloth? It's a good experiment to try. I have my seed starting table empty, I can fill it with dirt and try a few of each that I have and see what I get. Thanks Hoodat and Wifezilla.

 

[digitS']

Afternoon shade is a good thing for summer lettuce. I have a shady corner that has shade from tall, nearby trees from late morning on.

Some more lettuce starts were set out there, yesterday. Soon, all the lettuce plants will be harvested in the full-sun locations. Those plants are coming off quickly right now.

The shady corner is just about an ideal location for the purpose except, there's a little competition from tree roots for moisture.

Steve

 

[hoodat]

There's no doubt the cooler you can keep lettuce the better the quality. You can't stop bolting but you can slow it down.
BTW, once lettuce bolts I let it do its thing if I can spare the room. The flowers are great favorites with the small wasps that are predators on aphid and white fly.

 

[jackb]

So my lettuce has all bolted from the heat. I'm sad, my cucumbers are coming in really well and my tomatoes are getting pinkish. So no summer salad. It's 90 degrees in the shade so I wouldn't think my grow table on my porch would grow me lettuce, but I wanted ya'lls opinion. Can I still have summer lettuce? I love salads with all the fixings. I have a spare bathroom with a brooder lamp for my little chicks who have grown up and moved out to the coop. Could I put my grow table in there and grow lettuce? Does anyone here grow lettuce inside? If you do I would like to see your set up. Is a brooder light too strong?

I grow lettuce hydroponically inside, except for early spring and mid to late fall when I can grow in the greenhouse. This time of year I grow Slo-Bolt, Capitan and Bughatti, all of which can tolerate heat well. I just started this batch in an ebb and flow system under a 125 watt compact fluorescent light. I also use LEDs, which are much more efficient and cost effective. In the photo I have fifteen plants in about 3 square feet, and it will be ready to pick in about three weeks. Indoors you can control the conditions, and have no bugs to deal with.

Jack

 

[HunkieDorie23]

My lettuce is looking really good, so finally this northern climate is good for something. Anyway, I don't think that lettuce will germinate in temps above 80. You could grow some inside but I wouldn't put it under a brood light, I would put in under florecent lights. High temps are what go you into this pickle. Once it is bigger and your temps have come down you could move it outside but I used to live in GA and our temps did come down until Oct. So maybe a window sill would be a better idea.

 

[Beekissed]

You could provide shade over your existing rows....pvc hoops and a white or light colored sheet or even mosquito netting can provide shade but still let air and moisture to your lettuce.

You could also try some types of Romaine that seem to not bolt as easily.

I'll be shading mine this year, so I'll let you know if these methods are successful.