The Good and Bad of Bolting

It’s exciting when, in early Spring, we plant our cool weather crops. But the excitement can quickly go away when the temperature rises and these crops start to bolt. Is bolting a bad thing? Well, it depends on how you view it.

Bolting, or “going to seed,” is a natural occurrence and something that happens to many of our crops. The cause can be stress from temperature swings or even the lack of moisture our crops receive during warmer weather. These factors trigger plants to produce flowers and go to seed—bolt—when the days become longer and the temperatures warmer.

Have you ever noticed a yellow-flowered spike on your broccoli or your lettuce starting to shoot straight up? Crops want to naturally produce flowers and go to seed, which signals the end of their life cycle. Unfortunately for us, these bolting plants can be undesirably tough and bitter tasting.

Which plants are most affected by bolting? Annual vegetables such as spinach and lettuce along with biennial vegetables like onions, leeks, carrots and fennel are likely to bolt. Heat-sensitive brassicas like broccoli, kale and cabbage experience bolting as well, as can herbs like oregano and dill.

What’s the upside of your crops bolting, you might ask? Well, it’s a great way to attract pollinators to your garden! When plants bolt, the flowers they form attract many varieties of pollinators to your garden, which can boost production for crops that require pollination. It’s also a great way to save seeds for the upcoming year!

There are pros to harvesting before your plants bolt—and to letting at least a few of them go to seed. It’s up to you to decide which approach is right for your garden.