Thanks,
- Brice

I think heavily mulched soil is more effective than shade. Plants are very keyed into day length as well as soil warmth, and these two are what mostly causes bolting in lettuce.

The best heat tolerant, long-day tolerant lettuces are the Batavians, and my favorite is Nevada, but I've been having trouble finding the seeds now. Red Grenoble is similar. This is a semi-heading lettuce that really stands up to heat...even those 90+ degree days in June and early July, before the rain (ha...what rain.) Romaines also do well in the heat. I like Little Gem and Rosalita. Plant summer lettuces around the average last frost date for your area, so you are too late this year.

I also find Red Deer Tongue to be very heat tolerant. Some Butterheads are heat tolerant.

I learned to extend my lettuce season from the "The Cook's Garden" catalog. Sow cutting lettuces weekly as soon as the ground can be worked. Sow spring lettuces (deer tongue, some butter lettuces) in early spring. Sow summer lettuces around the last frost date. For germination in warm weather, sow the seeds, cover with good layer of straw, water well. Check daily for germination and remove straw once most seeds have sprouted, or the seedlings get leggy fast. Don't forget about sowing for fall lettuces, too. I usually put my fall lettuces in mid August (probably late August or early Sept for ABQ, and cutting lettuces in early September. Also, don't forget about escarole and chard for summer greens (need cooking.)

I gave up long ago on spring and fall broccoli and cauliflower. The spring is too hot, too dry, too windy and the sun is too intense. I only plant them for fall...I set seedlings out around the 4th of July. Probably late July would work in ABQ. Hope this helps.