Do you think my Iceburg Lettuce will survive or bolt? (pics)

[SLC]

I planted my Iceburg Lettuce May 1, and we have had decent temps. A couple days got to like 85 or so, but mostly it's been in the 70s and low 80s and the lettuce seems to be doing well, BUT this Wed and Thurs is supposed to shoot up to hazy, hot and humid with the temps about 96 degrees. Then the temps should go back to where they have been.

Is the lettuce far enough along that it won't bolt, or does that not even matter? I have never grown lettuce successfully before, so I don't know. My garden wasn't built until April 30, hence planting it May 1.

Is there anything I can do to save it? This is how far along they are...I have no idea when it's even supposed to start forming a head. Here are pics so you can see how far along it is. One of the whole row and another close up.

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SecretlyLovesClay/Garden/P1080699.jpg[/img]

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SecretlyLovesClay/Garden/P1080702.jpg[/img]

And yes, something has been chomping on the couple at the edge of the garden.

[gumbo2176]

I doubt seriously if just 1 day of higher than normal temperatures will cause it to bolt. Besides, those plants aren't very mature by looking at the pictures.
I'd be more worried if your temperatures stayed in the 90's for several days at a time.

My lettuce is now long gone but it was much larger than what yours are and they bolted when we had 90+ degree temperatures for a week or so. Once it sends up the flower stalk, it's all over and the lettuce begins to turn bitter. Too bad you can't really save it because I pulled enough to fill several 5 gallon buckets at the end.


Forgot to address this. Those plants look to be Black Seeded Simpson. If so, they do not form heads. You simply pluck a few leaves at a time from each plant and let it be for make more as the season progresses.

[hendi_alex]

I don't think that the lettuce will perform well if the heat stays in the 90's for very many days. Even if the lettuce survives, the leaves will get very bitter. If the lettuce were mine, I would harvest the larger outer leaves and continue doing so until they get too bitter. Looks like you have enough for one or two bowls of salad already. Loose lettuce gives a much more reliable crop, especially when planted late, maybe next year try some Romaine, Simpson, and Bibb. They tend to be more flavorful and heat tolerant than heading varieties. Perhaps start your heading lettuce much earlier next year, and consider using a floating fabric cover like Reemay.

[jal_ut]

Not much you can do about the weather. Just see how it goes. I have never had luck with iceburg lettuce. I do ok with the leafy types like Romaine and Black Seeded Simpson. My lettuce was planted in March and it hasn't bolted yet. We have some days in the upper 80s but it seems to do fine. Perhaps the bolting is more a matter of age than temperature?

In contrast to what gumbo2176 said, I pick the whole plant when I want lettuce. If you space it 10 to 12 inches per plant, they get large.

[gumbo2176]

Not much you can do about the weather. Just see how it goes. I have never had luck with iceburg lettuce. I do ok with the leafy types like Romaine and Black Seeded Simpson. My lettuce was planted in March and it hasn't bolted yet. We have some days in the upper 80s but it seems to do fine. Perhaps the bolting is more a matter of age than temperature?

In contrast to what gumbo2176 said, I pick the whole plant when I want lettuce. If you space it 10 to 12 inches per plant, they get large.

I've seen some of your heads of lettuce and they are huge. However, looking at his growing space, putting heads that far apart may not be practical. Not everybody has acres of land to garden in.

I do agree with the age of a plant being a factor in bolting. My older plants did so before the newer ones once it got too warm.

[SLC]

Darnit!!! I was hoping there was something I could do. I knew I got a late start, but I thought I'd give a try anyway. I was hoping it would be far enough along by now, but I really don't know how it all works.

How long does it take to start forming a head?

This is my first time really gardening (although not really my official first time I guess, cuz I had to wait for my bf to build me the raised bed), so I guess next year will really be my official first time, where I can start on time, etc.

And it's his house, so I can only use the amount of space he will give me, and so my garden is only 10x30, so I can only plant within the minimum space requirements or I wouldn't be able to fit much in.

It is definitely Iceburg because that is the only kind of lettuce I like, so I made sure the seed packet said it was.

Anyway, in another couple weeks, it will most likely get into the 90s and stay there....that's how CT is, so I guess I have no chance. Well, I tried.

Even though the seed packet says for my area to plant in Apr-May, when should I start? March? Sometimes the snow isn't even melted until April though.

[rainbowgardener]

Age is a factor re when it bolts and length of days AND temperature. Even 80's is enough to make your lettuce not last as long or do as well. It's really a cold weather crop. I plant mine usually in mid-March. This year we had an early warm up and I planted mid-Feb. Of course it got cold again, but lettuce is ok with that, very frost tolerant.

I think you've gotten good advice re going ahead and harvesting some now. And I have the same experience that leaf lettuce varieties do very well for me and head lettuce, especially iceberg never does. And I'm one that usually just picks leaves. Then the plant keeps growing and growing.

[SLC]

Can I pick and eat the leaves off of Iceburg lettuce as it looks now? I thought only the head was edible?

[rainbowgardener]

The head is just made up of leaves. Sure they are edible. Just don't pick too many off one plant at a time. Leave enough for the plant to still get energy.

[barrelslime]

You could put a shade cloth over the lettuce and extend it nicely. It is a late start, but shade it and keep it moist. Eat it at will its all good. Id have to agree with a previous post, that looks more like a leaf lettuce than a head lettuce. I could be wrong, but id pick the largest leaves off and enjoy them. That should buy you some time till maturity. By the way I know you are much further north from me but I plant my lettuce on Feb 14, every year regardless of the weather. Sometimes I sprinkle it on the snow, or dig under the snow and sow it on the frozen ground.

[gardenvt]

Like SLC, we are in for some 90-97 degree temps for 3 consecutive days. Shade cloth is exactly what I am going to put up tomorrow morning because I had my own issues with getting lettuce planted out.

I am growing Slobolt, Black Seeded Simpson and Tom Thumb. BSS was amazing in the heat last year and NEVER got bitter. It didn't bolt until well into July.

[SLC]

What is a shade cloth? Is it something special I need to buy? The lettuce is in shade for part of the day because a tree is blocking the sun - will that help? I am thinking not? It gets probably 4 hours full sun and another 2-3 of partial.

[rainbowgardener]

Yeah the tree shade helps, but it depends on what part of the day. If the tree shades out the hot afternoon sun, that's great and there's probably not much reason to do anything else. If the full sun hours the lettuce is getting are in the afternoon, doing something to filter that would still help.

Shade cloth is made to filter but not block the sun. It would be something you buy. There's specially made shade cloth and you can choose what percent of the light you want filtered out:

https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/category/shade-cloth

but you can just use row cover, which is a lot cheaper and easier to work with:

https://www.gardeners.com/Row-Covers/5111,default,pg.html

[SLC]

Do you think just a plain bed sheet would help? Or a sheer, lightweight curtain? It will only be for 3 days - it's supposed to be up to 100 degrees Wed and Thurs and then around 90 on Friday and then it goes back to less humid in the low 80s for the weekend.

[gardenvt]

If yuou use something other than row cover or shade cloth - both allow air to flow in and out, be sure to keep it raised high enough that it doesn't trap the heat.

[SLC]

So I got home last night and found an old pillow case that I cut and stretched out over the lettuce using skewers to hold it up, but they aren't very tall, and the pillow case doesn't cover all of the lettuce. Do you think this will work? Should I raise it up more? I won't be able to do it until I get home today and by then it will have had a day of hot and humid 100 degree temps. I assume the cloth shouldn't be touching the lettuce as I have it though, huh?

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SecretlyLovesClay/Garden/P1080919.jpg[/img]

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SecretlyLovesClay/Garden/P1080922.jpg[/img]

[rainbowgardener]

Probably don't want it touching.

Also the idea is to filter the sunlight, not to block it. Your pillow case looks pretty opaque, blocks air and light.

If you can't get floating row cover, you could look for something like tulle or other loose open weave fabrics from a fabric store.