Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA gardener harveting summer radishes (PA)Bolting is a common issue where vegetables like lettuce and rocket prematurely flower and go to seed, rendering them bitter and inedible. This phenomenon is primarily caused by environmental stressors such as prolonged hot spells, sudden cold snaps, changes in day length, or dry soil. To prevent bolting, gardeners are advised to maintain soil moisture through regular watering, especially in the mornings, and by mulching with materials like woodchip or hay. Other preventative strategies include creating shade using intercropping with taller plants, incorporating fruit bushes, or deploying shade netting over crops. If vegetables do bolt, they can still be consumed, albeit with a bitter taste, or they can be broken down and used as a nutrient-rich mulch directly in the vegetable bed. In fullVegetables bolting in the summer heat? Expert gardener shares seven tips to stop this from happeningMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Here’s what to do if your vegetables are bolting in the UK heatwave
Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA gardener harveting summer radishes (PA)Bolting is a common issue where vegetables like lettuce and rocket prematurely flower and go to seed, rendering them bitter and inedible. This phenomenon is primarily caused by environmental stressors such as prolonged hot spells, sudden cold snaps, changes in day length, or dry soil. To prevent bolting, gardeners are advised to maintain soil moisture through regular watering, especially in the mornings, and by mulching with materials like woodchip or hay. Other preventative strategies include creating shade using intercropping with taller plants, incorporating fruit bushes, or deploying shade netting over crops. If vegetables do bolt, they can still be consumed, albeit with a bitter taste, or they can be broken down and used as a nutrient-rich mulch directly in the vegetable bed. In fullVegetables bolting in the summer heat? Expert gardener shares seven tips to stop this from happeningMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
