Letting Your Vegetables Bolt Is Actually a Good Thing—Here's Why

Bolting can cause many gardeners to feel a flash of despair. This process often signals the end of tasty, tender produce, so it's only natural to feel a bit disappointed. However, it isn't all bad—in fact, there are a lot of potential bright sides to bolting. Here, we spoke to experts about why bolting may actually be a good thing and the benefits it can have both for your garden and the surrounding environment.

What Is Bolting? 

Bolting refers to a plant that goes to seed prematurely before the harvest is completed. This is sometimes due to weather conditions. The plant will begin to push its energy towards fruit and seed production, with some adverse effects on the parts of the plant that we consume.

Many common garden vegetables bolt. Below are just a few:

• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Mustard Greens
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Brussels sprouts
• Collards
• Carrots
• Radishes
• Onions

So why is bolting such a concern? There are a few less-than-favorable outcomes when it comes to this process:

• A bitter taste. When going to seed, the plant begins to heavily increase certain chemical compounds that make the leaves less palatable. Unfortunately, this means your salad greens won't be as tasty! 
• Tougher leaves. The plant increases production of lignin to aid in the flowering process. This means the end of tender, tasty leaf growth. 
• Diminished harvest. With energy directed towards flowers, new leaf growth takes a backseat.

Despite all of this, there are many reasons to allow bolting to occur—in certain situations.

Attracting Pollinators

You might not initially consider your bolting plants to be flowers, but nature has other ideas. Bolting vegetables are hugely attractive to pollinators.

"Instead of pulling out bolting lettuce, leave it," says gardening coach Jennifer Holston. "[It] produces bunching blooms that energize pollinators when they need it most."

"Most plants in the Asteraceae family are good candidates to let bolt, as many insects will visit the flowers," says Laura Irish-Hanson, horticulture educator at the University of Minnesota Extension. "Same goes for the Apiaceae family, which includes cilantro, fennel, dill, carrots, and parsley." 

Saving Seeds 

If you plant open-pollinated veggies, then they will bolt and form seeds. You can collect these seeds and save them to plant later, although you may have to get a bit creative to properly harvest them.

"Lettuce and mustard green seeds are tiny," says Holston. Wait until these flowers begin to shrivel, then place a paper bag over the flower heads. "Use a string to tie the bag’s opening closed around the plant stem. If the bag gets wet before the seeds drop, replace it with a dry bag. Check the bag weekly by gently shaking the plant stem to listen for a rattle, or open the bag to look for the seeds."

You can also collect edible seeds from certain plants in the Apiaceae family. "These flowers are delicious to eat, and you can even save the seeds to plant for next year ... or use them for cooking," says Irish-Hanson. In particular, she suggests using coriander, the seed produced from cilantro.

Feeding Birds

Birds can benefit from many things in your garden, including bolted plants. "Leftover seed heads feed birds and other wildlife," says Holston. So if you're interested in natural methods for feeding backyard birds, bolted plants are an easy place to start. 

Host Plants for Butterflies

Some types of butterflies need specific host plants for their young, and allowing certain plants to bolt can be beneficial in this regard.

"Fennel and dill are both host plants for swallowtail butterflies," says Irish-Hanson. "Letting them flower can encourage more butterflies to visit your garden."

Improved Soil Health

Bolting plants can have a positive impact on the earth, too. "Leaving root systems in the ground helps stabilize soil and improve soil biomes," says Holston. "Better soil equals better gardens."

Garden Beauty

Don't let anyone tell you that bolted plants are unattractive. The delicate flowers of a bolting broccoli plant, for example, can be very beautiful. Holston notes that bolted blooms are not just nice to look at—they can also help improve garden ecosystems.