Bolting spinach ...

[moggssue]

I read that wet weather causes bolting, and then somewhere else that its dry hot weather causing it ... which is true please?!! What can I do to lessen the effect? And can I still eat the leaves from plants that are starting to bolt? They're not really big enough to harvest but I'd rather have just a few than none at all because in a few days the plant has completely 'gone over'. I'd like to know more about the causes in the hope that I can stop the same thing happening to my lettuce plants.

[Flummery]

I would say it's stress that causes it. You have to say that drought and flood would cause stress so I think both reasons could be true. Hard to know how to avoid this completely. You can water carefully when the weather's dry but can't avoid a soaking if there's a downpour. I'm more inclined to think dryness is worse.

[todayiwillbemostlygrowing]

My spinach has bolted as well, I tried to delay it by taking off the flower head but this lasted one week before it grew again. I have had to harvest it all and put it in the fridge in a sealed bag and dug out the plants.

[Alice]

Moggssue, anything which puts a plant under stress will cause it to bolt (run to seed before the proper harvesting time) So too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet, can all be to blame. Some plants are quite tolerant of weather conditions and will put up with just about anything. Some are very fussy and will bolt for any reason - or none that you can see. Spinach is famous for bolting. Perpetual spinach (leef beet) is much more tolerant and that's why I grow it.
As for your lettuce, well when lettuce is ready, it's ready. It doesn't stand well all summer. You can't plant a crop and harvest month after month. The secret is to plant little and often. I plant a short row every 2 or 3 weeks.

[HappyMouffe]

moggssue, I pulled up a load of bolted spinach yesterday. We only had one week of harvest from it before it went doolally. Still, I've now got some room to get the leeks planted.

[moggssue]

Seems I'm not the only one then. Good to know it wasnt anything I did to the plants! I've dug them up, used some and frozen the rest. Maybe silly but I've sown some more spinach seeds in the hope of a second crop in another few weeks so fingers crossed for some sunshine - pweeese!
I've been picking some baby lettuce plants too, to give the rests more room to grow, but I don't think any of them are going to be that big.

[Sebbster]

moggssue, I hope you've planted perpetual spinach this time

I would also consider planting spinach in partial shade as this is it's preferred environment. I made the mistake with it this year and will be digging mine up this week, not planting anymore though, going to replace with Kale I think.

[moggssue]

Hmm, my spinach is in full sun - or at least it would be if we ever got any! I did plant some perpetual spinach (by mistake, didnt realise it was perpetual) and that's just about harvestable now, I've had the odd leaf from them. Next year I'll move them into a shadier spot further back. I thought it was worth another go because it seemed to be fairly fast growing.