The lettuce is bolting. The lettuce is bolting.

I transplanted a lettuce plug a few days ago into a "salad bowl" with other fine edibles like basil and parsley.

Yesterday when I came outside I noticed that my lettuce had sprouted some lovely yellow flowers at the top.

I had read enough about this flowering process to know that it is called "bolting" or "going to seed" and gives lettuce the dreaded bitters. I just wasn't sure why it was happening to my lovely little crop.

After a bit of research I got my answers.

Trauma.

I waited to long to transplant it. Then I over crowded it in the lettuce bowl.

It went to seed to try to preserve it's species.

Can I still eat the lettuce? "Yes." Can i eat the new little flowers? Research says, "yes." Will I enjoy the flavor? Probably not.

-------------------------------

Plants aren't that different from people, I suppose.

Overcrowd and deny them what they need and alacazam- they bolt.

Lesson learned. And the composter gets its daily dose of leafy greens.

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