Week 23 - Bolting

Bolting is the term used when a vegetable crop runs to seed. It is triggered either by a cold spell, a hot spell, or changes in day-length (photoperiod). Annual crops will bolt in the first year, biennials in the second year. Some vegetables (lettuce, mizuna, arugula, etc.) become unusable (bitter) once they bolt.

A tell-tale sign that a vegetable has bolted is the formation of a central stalk. Once you see this you know that the vegetative stage is over and the flowering stage has begun.

I recommend allowing one or two plants to bolt (lettuce and cilantro are good choices). This will not only give students an opportunity to view the complete life cycle of a plant, it will also enable the formation of seeds of which we can save for the following season.

Bolted Lettuce
Bolted Cilantro

Happy New Year

I’m sure glad students will be returning next week. Peas are getting plump, broccoli heads are blossom tight, carrots are starting to push their shoulders from the ground and our lettuce patch needs thinning, not to mention all the weeding that needs to be done!

Week 14 -Mixed Green Salad

Our lettuce and mixed greens are loving this weather; not too hot, not too cold. The students have been harvesting the outer leaves of all our different varieties, as well as thinning out those grown too close together to add to the mix.
We have such an abundance its time to discuss salad dressings. How do we enjoy all this edible greenery? First of course, we wash it. If you have alot, fill a sink with water, dump your greens in and let them soak for a few minutes. Drain them in a colander and either dry them off on paper towel or spin dry in a lettuce spinner.

Next lets make our salad dressing. The simplest salad dressing is olive oil, lemon and salt which can be applied right into the salad . You want just enough to coat the leaves without any pooling in the bottom of the bowl.A more elaborate dressing would be an herbal vinaigrette. The recipe is as follows: In a bowl or small jar combine 1 teaspoon ketchup with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a dash of soy sauce. While mixing with a fork or twirling the jar, slowly add 1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil depending on your taste. Then chop finely any combination of the following herbs: basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, parsley. Add to the dressing with a dash of salt and pepper, shake well and pour over salad. Enjoy!

Lettuce Bolting

In the heat of summer lettuce will bolt and shoot up a central stalk 3-4 ft high. After the plant flowers, seeds will form and can be collected for the following season. Currently we have been collecting seeds from coriander (cilantro), dill, fennel, lettuce, and pole beans; also from such flowers as: marigolds, cosmos, and sunflowers.