[hubballi]

This is why I don't like July/Aug as everything just goes leggy and bolts. Lettuce, Raddish (impossible to grow post May), Chard, Beetroot. All that hard work for nowt. It does get you down. Last summer was too wet and this one too warm.

Basicly you can't win !!!

[bigben]

I have given up on my salad stuff, my mixed salad keeps wilting and going to seed even when watered every day - I think my trays are too shallow. My spinage, and chard are doing the same on the allotment. I will sow again once we come back of holiday, anything sown now will be trashed by lack of water while we are away.

[Sid]

My gem lettuce has been sucsessful,but endive all bolted.

[Carrotcake]

Will the salads not be better in the shade if sown now?

I'm just about to sow some so will report back with results. Not too hopeful after having read this!

[Livinhope]

I don't want to depress you but we haven't had anything bolt or 'go wrong' I think the answer is water, water, water.   We water most days if it's dry and when we can't get to the plot our neighbour gives the stuff a drink.

[Trebor]

I have sandy soil which drains quickly. Only thing that bolted was chard and that was because I went on holiday. The rest of the time I water twice a week and that is it. I think the reason (almost) nothing bolted this year is that this encourages deeper roots so more drought tolerant. As for the shallow rooters like salad then I plant these in shade or under netting to give artificial shade that way they don’t bolt. Wouldn’t bother with spinach if you soil is sandy, bolted very easily for me last year (try perpetual if that is the case –theoretically better, but I haven’t tried it). Mulching, lots of manure and half sunk bottles can also help.

On the brighter side some crops will thrive in the heat so look at those rather than the bolters!

[dexyblue]

Card, onions and some lettuce leaves all bolted, the lettuce leaves were in the shade

[mobilekat]

Dont forget, we declared 2010 as 'The Year of the Bolting Veg'.....

But if you spot them as they go, they still taste good!

[Caralou]

I too have bolting lettuce - but that just means happy rabbits, chooks and ducks here 

[kermit]

My gem lettuce has been sucsessful,but endive all bolted.

Snap.  Berst year ever for little gem- hearted up really well (weigh a ton!) rather than going tall and bolting.  As for endive - I'm never trusting sowing dates on T&M seed packets again!  If they are bolting up here, what chance would you have down south?!

[Dave Mack]

Just been out to water the garden ... 2 of my broccoli plants are starting to bolt  good job i sill have another 6 that are ok 

[radiohead]

Nothing has bolted on our plots but we water daily all the 'at risk of bolting' stuff and we are blessed with heavy water retentive soil.