what is Bolted?

[lozza_9]

Hi All

I have heard the term - the leeks have bolted and also for other veg. What does this mean and what are the signs.

Thanks
Lorraine

[Nicos]

Basically it means the plant has suddenly produced a flower stalk, and usually happens if the plant has been stressed and it puts on a flowering spurt.

The best eg is a lettuce which loses it's nice compact shape and suddenly grows tall from the middle ( it also becomes bitter and inedible at that point)

Leeks bolt too and grow a central stem with a round, pointy top which will eventually open out into a pretty flower. (the centre of the leek is then woody)

Clear as mud???

[lozza_9]

can u still eat the veg if its bolted or does it not taste very nice

Loz

[Alice]

Hello Lozza, Nicos is right. It means the plant has run away to flower and seed before actually producing the edibles you want. You will know if a plant has bolted - they push up a flower stalk from the centre and what is left is inedible. It usually happens in hot, dry conditions, or where the plant is otherwise stressed. Some plants are more likely to bolt than others - spinach is famous for it, so I just grow spinach beet which is more tolerant. Hope this helps.

[Alice]

You can eat it Lozza, but it doesn't taste nice.

[Nicos]

Hmm- not so sure on this one!!
Certainly not lettuce in later stages as they become very bitter(only in early stages)-it can grow a good 3 ft high!
Leeks are fine to start with if you snap off the flower head as soon as it appears.
Onions need eating soon too after deheading
Can't think of anything else of mine which has bolted (so far!! )

[lozza_9]

excellent thank you for a quick response

Loz

[Snadger]

Bolted means 'Running to seed'. To run, to bolt! Usually veggies bolt/flower prematurely because they have had a check in some way. The plants system is stressed so they decide it's time to cut there losses and try and produce seed for the following year to survive!

Clever little blighters aren't they!

[bloomingbethan]

last summers lettuce has bolted but is stillin its pot how do i go about collecting its seed can i do it now

[supersprout]

Some of us deliberately leave a few veg to bolt. Salsify, scorzonera and broccoli for bee-attracting flowers early in the year; leeks because they're so pretty; or because we want seed. Some brave people allow self-seeding of companion plants e.g. borage, poached egg plant.

To harvest seed:

Once the shoot has flowered and you can see it's set seed, choose a dry day. Get a plain paper bag (greengrocer type) and carefully pop it over the seed head; tie off. Then cut the seed head off, and suspend it by the stalk (i.e. seed head downwards) somewhere cool and dry to dry completely. Seed will fall into the paper bag. Use paper so that the seeds can continue to transpire and breathe - plastic will encourage rotting.

We eat bolted leeks - just remove the woody inner core before slicing, the outer leaves taste just like normal.

[gealbhan]

i think this what happened to my fennel bulbs last year too.

[Alice]

Bolted or shot

Not just being pedantic here , but putting it in to save confusion for new gardeners. Bolted, or shot, does mean the plant has run to seed - but prematurely before it has grown to the lovely plant you wanted. Sometimes we do leave plants to mature to seed at the end of the season so that we can harvest the seed, but this is the natural progression of maturity in the plant - and not bolted. Does that clarify anything