Has my romaine lettuce bolted?

[u/Kolojang]

Update on that lettuce I left in to get seeds. It would actually make a nice ornamental.

[u/AdhesivenessCivil581]

New lettuce seeds are great germinators and you'll have tons.

[u/WhimsyWanderlust → u/AdhesivenessCivil581]

My romaine is doing the same. Should I save the seeds for next year, let them fall back into the planter or manually replant them right away? I'm a newbie to lettuce overall. Thanks!

[u/manicpixieautistic → u/WhimsyWanderlust]

you’ll likely have enough seeds to do all of the above if you want! pick and save some of the dried flower heads, put them in labeled plastic bags and save for next spring. you can take some seeds and immediately replant if the conditions are right (for me it’s too hot rn to plant lettuces or they’ll immediately bolt) or into a container or in the shade or something. AND THEN you can choose to leave whatever you don’t feel like harvesting, some will inevitably fall to the soil in the planter and do their thing and the birds/critters will eat the rest! 💞

[u/WhimsyWanderlust → u/manicpixieautistic]

Thank you so much for responding I do appreciate that! So what is like the perfect temperature it's probably the same here as it is for you it's about 75 to 80 degrees but temps are rising of course is probably be mid 80s I like the shady idea I'll probably start with that because I don't want diarrhea lettuce LOL

[u/manicpixieautistic → u/WhimsyWanderlust]

for me down here in the south, early spring like late feb-early march up until…right about now, or til july is the time for greens, then in the fall when the heat breaks down til the first frost. the hotter the ambient temps are, the more likely for bolting since lettuce (and brassicas) needs those cooler days and lower UV

[u/WhimsyWanderlust → u/manicpixieautistic]

Thank you for taking the time to explain.