Topic: I'm running out of salads!

[aquilegia]

I've been very good at doing successional sowings of salads, but my last few sowings have bolted (despite being well watered) or been ruined by foxes, so I'm going to run out soon.

Is it worth sowing more salad now or is it too hot? Are there any that are more heat tolerant? Or how can I grow them without them bolting?

I've been growing rocket, small lettuces (such as tom thumb) and CCA salads, rather than large whole lettuces.

[goodlife]

Are you doing them outdoors/indoors?...I have grown some lovely lettuces 'in heat of the summer',,, ::)..but only outdoors..
between or in shade side of the other crops...but I have added plentiful amount of compost on the spot too..just so that the soil will keep moist and provide plenty of goodness for quick lush growth...I find that cos types will do well for me when weather is bit more demanding side..soft leaf types are better for cool weather..

[tricia]

Go to Lidl and buy a punnet of 'Living Salad' for £1.19. Water well then split them into small bundles and plant out. There are enough plants of cut and come again lettuce varieties to cover more than a square meter. I planted out on 16 April and though I harvest most days still have a huge amount - some have hearted up and are probably little gem or similar. This way the plants are big enough not to be bothered by slugs and snails.

Tricia

[manicscousers]

I agree with tricia, we've planted 2 lots now, plus given loads away to our mates to plant, we've been eating them every day for a couple of months now, first from the tunnel..good variety of salad leaves and quite tasty  ;D

[sunloving]

I buy giant bags of salad seed mixed with vermiculite. there are some at wilkies for 97p at the moment (mediteranean mix) these usually do two years of fortnightly sowings big bargain. I find that its the rocket and the mustards that bolt but the lettuce are slower to so i mix australian yellow lettuce and cornsalad with mine and just resow the rocket regualrly (or leave it to go to seed and use that) . moist soil seems to be key.

seed so cheap that i always keep going and sow some in the gh around sept/oct with more cornsalad in it to last into winter.

good luck
x sunloving

[PurpleHeather]

Make some chips.

[Duke Ellington]

Make some chips.

;D

[amphibian]

I never worry about rocket bolting, the leaves are perfectly edible when teh plant is flowering.

[1066]

what a great idea Tricia!

I've been doing the latest salad planting underneath the climbing bean frames - not sure if it will work, but I figured at least it would give them some shade

I'm planning on creating my 1st raised bed later this year, in an area which gets a bit of shade in summer, and plan to use it for salads and maybe as a seedbed - hopefully it will work well!!

1066  :)

[aquilegia]

Lots of good ideas here. I shall have to try them all. I'm going to start by sowing in the shade - under the raspberries and the beans (good idea 1066!)

Can't make chips yet, my spuds aren't ready!  ;)

[1066]

I'll have to fess up Aqulilegia I nicked the idea from someone on this site last year  8) (along with many others  ;) )

So far they are looking ok, but this dry weather may yet decide otherwise!

1066  :)