I just got a garden tunnel to shield my lettuces from pests, but I'm worried about them bolting when the weather heats up. What can I do to keep them from bolting, especially as the days get longer and hotter? Is there a specific type of fabric that can block UV rays? I'd love to hear successful strategies from anyone who's dealt with this!
3 Answers
Using shade cloth can help a lot, along with succession planting. However, when summer temperatures peak, you might not be able to save them from bolting. It's just part of the gardening cycle!
Lettuce mainly bolts due to heat and stress. Keeping them well-watered and avoiding any stress is key, but with summer comes the heat. I usually harvest quickly and re-sow every ten days to keep a fresh batch growing. This method works well for cilantro, too!
I grew Grandma Hadley's lettuce variety one summer, and it bolted slower than others! It still bolted eventually, but I got a couple of extra weeks out of it. It's worth a shot if you're looking for some delay.