---Pete--- wrote:
Hi,
I'm in NJ and my leaf lettuce plants often bolt during the hot summer
months. On a train trip to FL last summer I saw acres and acres of
farm land with what looked like black netting ot tents over all the
crops. That made me think they were creating a cooler environment
for the crops but I have no idea what was growing.

Do you have any tricks for growing lettuce during
the hot summer months?

---pete---

Grow them under the tomatoes, or better, under the beans, switch to a
summer lettuce variety, or better, use two summer varieties, one early
one late,
so you get two crops out of one seeding.
I use a cold hardy mix for overwintering, oak leaf for the spring and
summer, and a couple
romaine species in the spring. Even in spring, I plant a later variety
amongst the garlic,
to get a later crop. The garlic light shade delays maturity further.
I also have a spot in the herb garden, that used to be full sun but now
is part shade,
currently occupied by rapini but to be seeded with lettuce in july.