Bolting Beets

Hi all.

I've got a patch of perpetual spinach (leaf beet) and what I think is some silver Kale in a semi shaded patch. It grows well enough, but most of the leaf beet has already bolted, and the silver kale is following, although slower.
Is this normal, and will removing most of the big new stem, leaving only the small leaves at the bottom round the stem stop the bolting?

cheers,
Dave

(P.S. "bolting beets" sounds like something a cartoon hero might say (if they were a gardener)
Captain Vegetable anyone? - nah - doesn't really have the right ring to it somehow........

 

Me too. Two different patches of leaf beet (planted last year) and already bolted. Remedies, please!

 

Well, answering my own question, after some mucking about on the internet, there seems to be a consensus that perpetual spinach is actually biennial, and if sown in spring, will last overwinter in mild climates, and then bolt the next spring. Drought also seems to promote bolting. I'm going to try cutting mine right back to the stem at the bottom, leaving some young leaves, and see what happens. I'll probably leave one of each type to flower for the seeds.

Any tips from the wise will be welcome.

cheers,
Dave

 

Dave, if you don`t try, you`ll never know. I say, go for it. It`s not going to cost anything.:thumb: