Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: sclarke624 on March 26, 2007, 21:25

Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: sclarke624 on March 26, 2007, 21:25
Hiya
Some terms I have come across on here of which I don't know the meaning:
Bolting what does this mean and
as per Lottieblogs Spring Onion White Lisbon   Tendency to bulb

Thanks
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: peanut97 on March 26, 2007, 21:30
I am new but believe bolting to mean turning to seed before getting the veg?!
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: DD. on March 26, 2007, 21:32
In simple terms..

Bolting - rapid growth, resulting in plant going to 'seed' before it produces a harvestable crop.

Tendancy to bulb - spring onion has a bulb at it's base rather than a straight stem.

Boom-Boom!
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: WG. on March 26, 2007, 21:32
Quote from: "peanut97"
I am new but believe bolting to mean turning to seed before getting the veg?!
Spot on Peanut
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: sclarke624 on March 26, 2007, 21:49
Sorry bear with me here what then does going to seed mean, and a bulb at the base of a spring onion rather than a straight stem I may be being dense but don't spring onions look like that anyways.  
PS difficult to concentrate with the old man snoring like a trooper on the settee, poor old boy we've been on a two hour romp round Lavington Plantation in Chichester (I think).
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: shaun on March 26, 2007, 21:52
if your lettuce bolts (and i'm sure some will) dont throw it away ,put it into a stir fry or lightly steam as you would with spinach  :wink:
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: muntjac on March 26, 2007, 21:54
no worries ... ok if you buy  a cabbage its an immature plant that hasnt flowered yet to produce its seed . so bolting  or going to seed basically means  flowering . if you see a lettuce go to seed the flower stem comes from the centre of the plant as a normal flower does and it then shows white flowers that then form seed pods . you dont want to be eating them when this happens as with lettuce it goes very bitter . a spring onion is normally a uniform thickness all along its length for some strange reason  but it can also mean going toseed as it is an alium it forms a ball like head for its flower . hope that helps ..... no daft questions here so worry not  :D
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: WG. on March 26, 2007, 21:55
Quote from: "sclarke624"
Sorry bear with me here what then does going to seed mean, and a bulb at the base of a spring onion rather than a straight stem I may be being dense but don't spring onions look like that anyways.  
PS difficult to concentrate with the old man snoring like a trooper on the settee, poor old boy we've been on a two hour romp round Lavington Plantation in Chichester (I think).

By your description, going to seed is exactly what your old man is doing!   In other vegetables (ahem), it means they are sending up a flower stalk which would eventually bear their seed.  Nett result is little or no usable veg.

Spring onions have the makings of a bulb but is pretty straight; it is a question of degrees here.
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: shaun on March 26, 2007, 21:56
dont eat the flowers just the leaves  :roll:
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: sclarke624 on March 26, 2007, 22:10
Ok with it now thanks guys.  

I notice a lot of spring onions you buy now are fairly straight all the way.  When I was younger they had a distintive bulb shape at the end, I'm sure they did.
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: muntjac on March 26, 2007, 22:13
Quote from: "sclarke624"
Ok with it now thanks guys.  

I notice a lot of spring onions you buy now are fairly straight all the way.  When I was younger they had a distintive bulb shape at the end, I'm sure they did.


 they did bu super markets  gave em money therapy :x same as every other blooming veggie they sell
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: sclarke624 on March 26, 2007, 22:16
I thought I would look on google for a picture of a spring onion and came across this:

http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/2007/03/onions-green-and-spring.html

Awhole debate on which part of the spring onion people eat and what it is called in different english speaking countries.

A very controversial vegetable methinks.
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: muntjac on March 26, 2007, 22:21
yeh once again its made complicated .sow it ,feed it, water it . n flipping eat it  ALLLLLL :x
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: muntjac on March 26, 2007, 22:22
oh well bless me ..... it would have to be a blooming american idea wouldnt it  :roll: lolo :lol:
Title: Bolting what does this mean
Post by: sclarke624 on March 26, 2007, 22:29
Yep
 :lol:  :lol:  :lol: