In zone 10a and I've mainly grown jalapeño, some tomato's and eggplant in proper years. I've never tried growing lettuce before. I got 4 seedlings at a local nursery and then started 4 more (romaine) from seeds just to try my hand. And yes there's a carrot or two in there also. Planting in a small raised bed. Used some miracle grow raised bed mix to start. I'm took this photo a week or so ago and right after several plants went to seed. I'm trying to figure out why the lettuce isn't getting real leafy. Did I put them too close together?
by GC_Woodworking
18 Comments
Probably it’s too hot so they’re bolting
Lettuce likes the cold weather. Once it warms up it will bolt and start to seed out. After that it dies. Lettuce grows best in cold weather.
Too hot, bolting. Try to find a variety that is more heat tolerant. ‘Marvel of Four Seasons’ is a variety that’s good in the heat and the cold. Might be worth a shot.
Lettuce is going to be hard to do in Florida without a way to keep them cool.
It has already bolted, which means making a tall stem in order to flower and then set seed. Most varieties of lettuce get unusably bitter once they start bolting. It can be hard to grow lettuce in a hot climate. I’d recommend starting over from seed, and divide your lettuce area up, and plant just a few seeds every two weeks. If it goes well, you can harvest them while they are small and prebolted.
Your climate is admittedly warmer than mine, but I also have trouble growing lettuce here in Texas to the extent that I have given up on it and grow other, more heat-tolerant, leafy greens instead. Swiss Chard does very well for me. “Perpetual Chard” (also called “Perpetual Spinach”) is even more heat tolerant. These, of course, are not exactly the same as lettuce, but I find they easily fill the same role in my kitchen most of the time.
As someone else in soflo I’ve never successfully grown lettuce. I gave up yearsss ago, like a decade. Even when it didn’t bolt it never tasted like lettuce, bitter and kinda prickly :/
Shade cloth maybe dude. It’s all bolted cause of the heat. Happens to me in Toronto in the summer. Lettuce hates the heat
Before you give up on it, try some heat resistant varieties. Make sure they get plenty of shade and are not stressed through other means (e.g. inappropriate watering).
There was a guy farming in Florida during the cool season and then going to Maine for the rest of the year. He grew lettuces, carrots, radishes, etc., but I think that was January to March mostly. He’s moved to Maine full time, but you might want to watch the videos featuring his farm for ideas: https://youtu.be/H2AJIRrAV1g
Trying to think of more heat-tolerant salad greens that might work, maybe chard? Kale would definitely work, but not the most salad-friendly tbh, arugula might just because it’s pretty much a weed. Mustard’s definitely would work if you don’t mind the bite.
I’m in Florida 9B. My butter crunch, Little Gem romaine and mizuna greens do ok as long as they only get part sun. You can start over in the cooler weather this week and try a spot that doesn’t get so much sun. Good luck 👍
Also 10A, and we’ve got a fair bit of lettuce doing fine right now. Earlier advice of finding more heat tolerant lettuce seeds is pretty spot on. Look for seed companies that specialize in the south, and read the description. It’s actually not too late to start from direct seed too. A lot of lettuces grow in 30-45 days.
They’re bolting. Not every lettuce is good to grow in an environment like Florida. There are other kinds of lettuce and spinach such as Malabar spinach that grow great in hot weather. Try Butthead lettuce.
They’re bolting. You might still be able to eat these, but they’re basically done.
Does it ever get below 70 consistently where you are? Or at least where the highs aren’t too far above 70? That’s when you grow lettuce. But heat resistant varieties also help!
If you want to grow lettuce in a warm climate you have to adapt. Grow heat tolerant varieties, plant small amounts every 2 weeks so you have a consistent supply, and protect them under a shade cloth when you get hot days. Water deeply and mulch to retain moisture. Light mulch like hay is best because it reflect light and keeps the plant from getting hot. Good luck!
Its the heat. Try Egyptian Spinach in the hot months – loves the heat and hates the cold, i eat it in salads fresh, actually way better for you too. Seeds take a long time to germinate however.