Cos Lettuce
DiSteve
Posts: 33
Hi
I have some Cos lettuce growing on my allotment..........my neighbour keeps telling me they need pulling as they are bolting/going to seed.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Cos have long leaves, like Romaine. The leaves at the moment are quite short, but it has started to grow up in the centre of the lettuce, looking pointed. When I told him they are Cos lettuce he just kept saying they are going to seed. I pulled one to satisfy him, and have had it for tea this evening, it was absolutely fine. I'm not sure of the signs of a bolting lettuce or one that is going to seed for that matter...........it didnt taste bitter, nor did it have a flower.
I'm not very experienced with gardening, and welcome any help and advice, however I will stand my ground when I think I am right!
Can anyone advise me on this? Maybe I should have taken a picture......
Posts
If it is going up in the centre, he is right, if you leave it another couple of weeks, I t will probably flower and then form seed. Use them up now.
A photo might be helpful ... some allotmenteers know what they're talking about, but there's always the odd one who doesn't ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
hi above went down garden this morn my cos lettuce that I have in 6ins pots about 20 been feasted on by 3 snails I never looked at them on sat //wish I had still time for a few more (thing is they are on a bench 4ft of ground grrrr still try again
If you are a girl, he will "know better" than you.
If you're younger than he, he will "know better" than you.
If he's a knowall, he will "know better" than you.
If your lettuce is bolting he may,in fact, know better than you.
Sometimes it's hard to filter out the bilge!
I know these things because even at my age I have similar interactions with "older" gentlemen when all I want to do is put petrol in two petrol cans and they decide they can do it better. This was yesterday!
That is definitely bolting lettuce. Time to make lettuce soup.
Oh ok........so cos lettuce that you buy in the shops have long leaves, how do you get to grow them?
hi disteve that cos lettuce is same as my mates allotment he has a full raised bed of same kind it is a long leafed typy there is lots of so called cos lettuce that you would not call cos but by all accounts it is ... ( you will find gardeners of all think they know better ) the way I look at things if it is new try and have a go so member said about growing spring onions in pots I am trying that now it should work ..a pot full at a time do it your way steve
It's all down to the variety and growing conditions. Cos is a type (more properly called 'romaine'.) Grow them in rich soil which never dries out (which will cause bolting.) The faster you can make them grow, the better they will be. Sow a few every two weeks so you have a constant supply.