rocket has rocketed......

[Shirley]

I was sad to see that some of my salad leaves have gone to seed... they are in a large wooden bed that David put together for me. I thought I was keeping them reasonably well watered but perhaps not enough.

What's the best thing to do - will any seed that they set be worth harvesting? Will it come true to type or is it best to cut off the flower head?? Can you still eat the leaves once they've got to this stage??

Various varieties in there - rocket (yes.. it's done what it says on the tin!), Mizuna, Coriander, Mustard and Sorrel and some other bits and bobs.

I've got more seed left in the packet so it's not a huge loss if I've missed the boat... just need to know whether I can eat them still or leave them to seed, or compost!!

[diver]

my lettuce and rocket have both bolted..I've eaten the lettuce and it tasted just the same, I just cut off the bolted bit. my rocket is flowering like mad so I will just plant some more..it did this last year and the second crop was fine

[Millymollymandy]

Can only speak for coriander. When it has gone to seed the leaves go all frilly and are no good for eating. Either leave it be to flower and set seed then you can collect the seed and use either in cooking or for replanting.

[Wombat]

I had rocket that self seeded every year for quite a long time until it finally died out....

Nev

[Shirley]

Thanks all....

The coriander isn't too bad - I'm not sure it will set seed outside up in these parts... but you never know.

Isn't it amazing though - the difference in taste between your freshly picked salad leaves and that chlorine washed stuff that you can buy in bags at the supermarket... (what's so super about them??)

[Millymollymandy]

I never buy bags of salad leaves - only whole lettuce. The bagged stuff always contains some slimy leaves even when it has a sell by date one week hence! Bleugh!

Can't say I can taste any difference between home grown or shop bought lettuce though!!

[digiveg]

Trying to save seeds from salad stuff is a varied affair. Rocket and mustard seem to cross easily enough, but coriander and lettuce are a safer bet. As bolting rocket is simply a gardening fact, why not try eating the flowers? They're really delicious, sweet and nutty.

I try to keep my hands off one or two of the best lettuces and let them go to seed. The result, one year when I lived in California, was an 8-foot stem with a huge yellow pom-pom thing on the top - specatcular, and it eventually provided enough seeds to take over the planet.

I've never had a lettuce cross with anything else, and the results the following year are even better.

[WitchypooNo2]

Our rocket has finally bolted. but we have found that it comes back the following year much slower and takes much longer to bolt. Last Jan we had a rocket bush!!!!! complete with flowers and the leaves were really peppery but still tender. this year in May we got a shed load of leaves that finally gave up the ghost and went tough and woody 2 weeks ago. so in our exp plant, discard and use the following year....not much help for this year tho Now spinach??? we have given up as NOTHING stops ours bolting!!!!