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Post by ilex on Jun 29, 2013 9:46:37 GMT -5
I selected a couple plants in one of my projects, and they don't bolt. All the others did long ago. I find a non-bolting plant is very interesting, but would really like to get seed from these.
I thought they would bolt with daylenght after being of a certain size and after cool weather. Guess selecting them resets everything, or they need much more cold.
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Post by richardw on Jun 29, 2013 15:20:42 GMT -5
The Chard i have been growing for years is 100% non bolting,so it certainly can be selected out
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Post by oxbowfarm on Jun 29, 2013 18:31:12 GMT -5
Maybe some applied stress? Prune some roots with a shovel or let them dry to wilting once or twice?
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Post by littleminnie on Jun 30, 2013 12:44:05 GMT -5
I didn't really know chard bolted. Certainly must not have the day length trigger spinach, its relative, does.
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Post by steev on Jun 30, 2013 23:45:34 GMT -5
It's a beet; it goes to seed, but mostly the second year.
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Post by ilex on Jul 1, 2013 2:42:47 GMT -5
I had seen perennial individuals (common among wild chard), but they always bolted and then resprouted. Guess, I'll need to find a way to multiply these non-bolting ones.
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Post by Walk on Jul 1, 2013 16:27:22 GMT -5
The chard we grow is called Leaf Beet. We got it from Fedco in 2007 and have been saving seed from it since then. We can over-winter it in our greenhouse under blankets and it will bolt in the 2nd year. Easier for us than some of the other, less hardy biennials. I don't think we've ever had any bolting in the first year.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Jul 1, 2013 18:23:57 GMT -5
Red chard can be a pain bolting the first year if the seedlings get frosted, in my experience.
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Post by littleminnie on Jul 1, 2013 18:40:57 GMT -5
Oh I thought when you said bolted you were referring to first season bolting too early, not seed saving.
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Post by ilex on Jul 2, 2013 1:43:50 GMT -5
Just to clarify ... I'm talking about non bolting the second year.
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Post by richardw on Jul 4, 2013 5:19:42 GMT -5
Ok i'm the same as littleminnie,i thought first season bolting too,all mine goes to seed in year two.
So i can see what you mean now,a plant that doesn't flower in there second growing season in rather interesting alright.
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Post by cesarz on Jul 16, 2013 8:33:26 GMT -5
Hi Ilex,
From my observations with the variety (or varieties) Rainbow Lights, it will not bolt unless the mineral content of the soil is depleted. I have seen it growing on the beach (somebody threw a packet of seeds on the beach) for four years without bolting due to the sea providing the necessary minerals.(it grew huge!) I managed to duplicate this in my garden by providing my plants of the same variety with seaweed mulch and sometimes sea water. My plants that have this treatment have not bolted on the third year and still going. I uprooted one of the plants from the beach (by then it was 3 and a half years old) and planted it in a mineral poor sandy soil and it bolted within three months and it has never had any cold spell yet.
So you might ask if the non-bolting plant of yours are just receiving lots of minerals rather than being genetically predisposed to not bolting.
Cesar Z
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Post by ilex on Jul 30, 2013 2:51:22 GMT -5
Interesting point Cesar Z. There must be something genetic as it's a couple plants among quite a few that don't bolt. All are planted together.
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