Plant Problems: Plant Bolting
The term "bolting" means a plant has stopped the productive, growth stage,
and is turning to the production of seeds. It is also referred to as "going
to seed", which is exactly what the plant is focusing upon...... propagation
of the species. It is a normal part of a plant's life cycle to produce seeds.
Unfortunately, when a vegetable plant bolts, its harvestable days are over.
Bolting is common among lettuces, onions, cabbage, Bok Choy, and other cool
weather crops.
The Symptoms:
Here are a few examples of the signs of plants bolting:
Lettuce is turning a lighter green and is drier looking. Leaves taste bitter
and dry.
The plant shoots a stalk upward producing little, if any leaves. Seed pods
develop.
Onion plants produce a long, tall stem. A flower appears at the top.
The head of cabbage (or Kale) plants split, and a stem emerges. The stem
ultimately develops a flowers and later seeds.
The Causes of Bolting:
This is caused by stress on the plants, and sometimes, longer days. The most
common plant stressor, is high temperatures and humidity.
Lack of sufficient soil moisture is another common cause of bolting.
Plants may also bolt due a lack of nutrients, disease problems, or insect
infestations.
The Remedies:
Once your plant has begun to bolt, there is no stopping or reversing the
process. But, you can do things to delay plant bolting. Look to eliminate
factors that cause a plant to bolt.
Note: Delaying or avoiding plant bolting, requires steps to be taken
BEFORE bolting begins.
The most common cause of bolting is high temperatures. How does one go about
lowering the outdoor temperatures? Unfortunately, there is little a gardener
can do to provide relief. If the plant is being grown in a container, the
container can be moved to a shaded area during the hottest part of the day.
Or, it can be brought inside, into air-conditioned comfort. For garden plants,
misters used at midday, or shade covers offer some relief.
Dry soil is perhaps the next biggest stress that encourages your plants to
bolt.
If your plant us under stress, due to any other factor, the cure is simple....
eliminate the stress.
Grow cool weather crops in spring and fall, avoiding mid-summer's heat.
Harvesting Seeds:
So, your plant has gone to seed. Now you want to harvest and save the seeds.
Find out How to Harvest and Save Seeds
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