Broccoli advice

[Halfpasthen]

Planted broccoli in the fall. Plants grew huge and beautiful. Never formed heads. I don't think it ever got cold enough. Now our temps are in the 80s during the day and high 60s or low 70s at night. They haven't gone to seed yet. Still look beautiful. Is it time to give up and pull them out? I figure if they haven't formed heads yet it won't happen. But I've never grown broccoli so I wanted to double check.

 

[nchls school]

If there's small stalks with a few flowers; time to give up. I keep a few plants like this in my garden to clip as it grows and feed it to the poultry.

 

[Halfpasthen]

Yeah it's not flowering yet but feeding it to the birds is probably about as useful as it's gonna be lol. Im sure it'll start going to seed like all of my other winter veggies soon enough. I think I'm gonna call it and pull them up. Can use the garden space for things that will actually produce.

 

[Farmdog267]

Which variety of broccoli is it? Perhaps re seed with a more heat tolerant variety?

 

[Halfpasthen]

Which variety of broccoli is it? Perhaps re seed with a more heat tolerant variety?

You're absolutely right. I had like 3 different heirloom varieties in a grab bag. I'll have to get a heat tolerant specific variety. If you have experience with any I'd love a recommendation.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Broccoli is more of a fall plant. It does not like full sun. You should plant it in a shady part of your garden.

 

[Halfpasthen]

Right, I had planted it last fall and let it overwinter in hopes of a crop in the early spring. It was in a full sun area. They grew large, healthy and beautiful but never formed heads. I will try a heat tolerant variety and a different location next fall.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Right, I had planted it last fall and let it overwinter in hopes of a crop in the early spring. It was in a full sun area. They grew large, healthy and beautiful but never formed heads. I will try a heat tolerant variety and a different location next fall.

Let us know how it goes. Also be sure to harvest before they begin to flower. The flowers are beautiful but will leave your plants inedible. They will continue to grow heads even after you cut the main one off. They will be smaller in size though. If you continually cut off the "sucker" leaves at the bottom she should grow wonderfully

 

[Halfpasthen]

Let us know how it goes. Also be sure to harvest before they begin to flower. The flowers are beautiful but will leave your plants inedible. They will continue to grow heads even after you cut the main one off. They will be smaller in size though. If you continually cut off the "sucker" leaves at the bottom she should grow wonderfully

Thank you! That is great advice and I appreciate it.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Thank you! That is great advice and I appreciate it.

No problem. I've grown broccoli every year for 3 years now. My biggest problem has been broccoli worms because we have plenty of shade. Last year I was fed up and purchased an organic pesticide to get rid of them. I can't think of what it's called off the top of my head but it's a bacteria that if the worms ingest it kills them. I've tried using DE but they lay eggs under the leaves. Before long they destroy your whole plant.