Bolting is good for you

Bolting lettuces seem to grow pretty quick, and for a while the ones I planted in May and June were keeping up with me. Why is bolting thought to be wrong? I think bolting lettuces look lovely. The leaves are a bit chewier perhaps? But flavourful.

Well I do love a salad, and now I'm starting to overhaul them. So time for a new crop I can start eating in September if it stays fine. Last night I planted some Winter Density and some Merveille de Quatres Saisons, which worked last autumn.

But the exciting thing is, I planted some seeds from one of the last crop that was among the first to bolt. This was a Pandero - one of the ones that went like christmas trees with candlesticks on top. I cut all the tops last week and kept one - the candles all sprouting feathery down. When I rubbed them between my fingers little white flakes came out. I'm no botanist, but these looked the dead spit of the lettuce seeds that come out of packets.

So these are what I planted. Will they come up? Watch this space. One of the biggest thrills for me (and for most readers doubtless) is putting seeds in pots in the early spring and seeing them come up on the kitchen window shelf and then going into the ground outside. How can something so big and juicy come out of something so small and dry?

It's a miracle. And the miracle will be twice as lovely if I end up eating the second generation. Further bulletins as events warrant.

More by jbr | Oct 13, 2005 | | TrackBack ()