Bolting Question

[cardiffsteve]

I am growing beetroot in ground, rainbow chard and romain lettuce in pots the only problem is they have all bolted.
The beetroot are bigger than tennis balls.
Will everything still be ok to eat or should I just compost them?

[rustylady]

When you say they have bolted, do you mean they have only just sent up flower shoots? If so then get the beetroot up and eat them. The lettuce will (I think) be bitter and not fit for eating. Chard ?

[Florence Fennel]

What RL says Steve. Your beetroot will be woody if you leave it any longer and bolted lettuce is very bitter so compost that. Your chard may be a bit tough too if that's bolted. Hard luck, harvest earlier next time.

[Two_Sheds]

Bolting is, as Rusty says, throwing up a flower shoot

[cardiffsteve]

Shoots on beetroot are about 4 foot tall with a few flowers.
Lettuce look very long but no flowers and its bright lights chard and some have shoots with flowers on.

[Two_Sheds]

shoots with flowers on ... yep, that's bolted

Pull them up

[cardiffsteve]

Funny thing is I think beetroot was boltardy, not sure though.
What a muppet I am....

[mrbadexample]

Shoots on beetroot are about 4 foot tall with a few flowers.
Lettuce look very long but no flowers and its bright lights chard and some have shoots with flowers on.

4' tall? Might be a bit late...

[cardiffsteve]

Think it might be a bit late eh?
Thanks for that. Must try harder next year

[Potstubsdustbins]

Whoops more for the compost bin.

Normally if any of my plants start to bolt I nearly always lift the rest. Better something small than nothing at all.

Colin

[VirginVegGrower]

Bolting with the hot weather and lack of moisture- keep soaking your beets to prevent this in future. You could make a nice beetroot soup. I would twist the top and boil em up, then simmer for an hour. Allow to cool and peel - try them rather than throw. Tops are always composted in this house, although when young they can be eaten like salad leaves.

[VirginVegGrower]

Oops just read the 4' tall statement - hmm - I take it they are going to seed then...try the soup next time as you are too late for sowing them again now.

[snakeshack]

you might get away with cutting the chard back to about 2 ins above ground level,it will reshoot

[rustylady]

Funny thing is I think beetroot was boltardy, not sure though.
What a muppet I am....

Boltardy is just a variety name - doesn't mean it will never bolt.

[Florence Fennel]

Bit like Usain Bolt, but he usually did.