Yellow flowers on my lettuce plant

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I really need some help i have never grown lettuce before and my son got one at school a couple years and it never really did anything but we moved about 2 months ago i gave it some food put it in the ground and it went from about 3 inches tall and not growing to about 4 feet tall but now has yellow flowers please help what is it doing and how do i take care of it and will it ever have lettuce?
 
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Are you sure it is lettuce ? I have never seen lettuce that grew to 4 foot tall. Regardless, what is happening, is that it is now flowering, and will then produce seeds. The leaves on the plant are the lettuce leaves, but if it is that tall and flowering, then the leaves are probably bitter. Be sure that it is actually lettuce before you try eating it ! If you can post a picture here, that would be good.
If you let it go to seed, and then save the seed, you can plant it , and then when it first comes up, the lettuce will be wonderful to eat, and tender.
 
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Strange kind of lettuce that. I have never heard of lettuce growing up to four feet. Most lettuce mature within 50-60 days after they germinate. I think Romaine takes a little longer.. but I have never grown those. Letting they stay longer or grow bigger will only make the leaves taste bitter is what I know. The more tender the leaves are the juicer and sweeter they taste. I generally start cutting the leaves when they are over two weeks old. I love them that way.
 

zigs

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I've seen them grow to 6 feet when they go to seed.

I'm afraid your's has bolted Pinkie. It wont form a hearted Lettuce now. They bolt if conditions are not right for it, if it thinks its under threat it will try to produce seed as quick as it can.

Bolting is usually caused by underwatering, or lengthening daylight hours.

Plant some more but pick them as soon as they've formed a head (or roseatte in the case of an open variety like Lollo Rosso)
 
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I agree that the lettuce has bolted, or is going to seed. It is definitly not edible when it bolts and the leaves are tough and bitter. Lettuce is fun the grow as it can be planted very early in the spring and it is one of the first vegies available. You can also plant it in the fall and have fresh lettuce well into the colder months. If it is going to freeze, just cover it with some newspapers to protect it.
 
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I third this as other plants do the same thing and it can get very frustrating at times. So you might as well just harvest those seeds and start from scratch because after all, growing a plant from seed is the way to do it.
 

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