Running to seed

[Beersmith]

I started renting my allotment almost exactly one year ago. I've had a productive and hugely enjoyable first year, but got caught out by one unexpected problem.

My leaf beet ran to seed despite my care, attention and generous watering. A fellow plot holder suggested this might not be heat and drought stress, but prolonged cold early conditions. I'd not heard of this before. Is this possible? Any other vegetables susceptible to similar problems?

Comments would be most welcome.

Cheers

Beersmith

[Beersmith]

[Tee Gee]

It's not a veg I know much about, the little I do know about it is that because it is a biennial it can sometimes run to seed in its second year.

Have you been harvesting it recently? If not it could be that the this might be the problem  I.e. The leaves have aged to the point that young leaves have failed to develop,whereas if you had harvested the leaves even if you didn't eat them then the plant/ s would have stayed forever young.

But that is only an opinion as I said it is not a plant that I know well

[Beersmith]

Tee Hee,

Thank you for the comment. My apologies, I should have given more information.

This all happened last year. Sowed in April. Seemed to grow superbly for a while and enjoyed some early pickings. Then in mid to late June it all suddenly ran to seed. I like this vegetable and was thinking about how I could avoid a repeat this year and perhaps enjoy a longer picking season.

Cheers

Beersmith

[Beersmith]

Tee Gee

More apologie for getting your name wrong. Just a typo.

Cheers

Beersmith

[ed dibbles]

You can avoid the problem of bolting by sowing later.

Leaf Beet aka perpetual spinach is a biennial, sending up flower spikes in spring after a cold dark winter. Low temperatures after an early sowing makes the plants think its still winter and so bolts once temperatures rise.

It is not recommended to sow standard beetroot varieties, i.e. not bolt resistant ones, until warm weather for the same reason.

You could make two sowings, one in april and one late june and by doing so you really will be able to pick leaf leaf year round.

Also don't be in a hurry to pull up plants once flower shoots begin forming. Eat them instead they are delicious. Mine, sown last july is just starting to bolt but those tender young flowering shoots will be harvested for weeks yet, probably until the sowing I made this week is ready to begin harvesting.

[Tee Gee]

Seemed to grow superbly for a while

Sounds like you might be bettere sowing a little often over the season, a bit like you would grow lettuce.

[Beersmith]

Thank you all for the helpful guidance.

Cheers

Beersmith

[johhnyco15]

later sowing im sure will help there are a lot of crops that run to seed if sown early spinach and rocket to name but a few give it a try this year make two sowings one early one late and compare them take notes in a dairy or mental note which way extends the life  let us know how you got on hope this helps

[small]

I can confirm that the later sowing works. I'd had this trouble for a year or two so I sowed a short row in July, these are still producing the large leaves and ribs. But I value the 'old' going to seed plants as well, the small leaves produced up the flower stems are perfect for eating raw, and of course I'll leave a stem to produce seed as well. It's one of the most hard-working crops there is IMHO.

[Jeannine]

This can happen with celery, if young plants are exposed to temps of below 55 for several days they can bolt.

[Beersmith]

Thanks to all for the helpful advice.

Will try later sowing and hope to avoid problems this season.

Now I am worrying about the celeriac I started early then not having much room indoors it has spent a few weeks struggling along in a cold frame.

Hey ho! Sometimes you win sometimes you have to settle for a draw!!

Cheers

Beersmith