Topic: 'Calabrese - broccoli'

[tim]

REMEMBER - cover your whatever before the b/flies get at them. Nothing worse for the children than pale yellow boiled caterpillars!

And pick them young.  Or they'll soon be yellow flower heads. = Tim

[Multiveg]

Mine (well 2) are under enviromesh and have just started to "calabre-ise" - about an inch and a half across.

[Ed^Chigliak]

Just eaten the last of the Calabrese main heads and fingers crossed for a  second crop of side shoots although I have my doubts. Picked em young this year as I learnt my lesson last year when they suddenly flowered - well alot more suddenly than I was expecting anyway. Not a single steamed caterpillar this year either was just the icing on the cake.

My whatever includes cabbages, purple sprouting broccoli and sprouts. Caterpillars were a big problem for me last year so I best cover them up soon. Thanks for the reminder.

[tim]

- and if you do get caterpillars, remember the organic 'parasite'. = Tim

[Debs]

Interesting - I was wondering why my broccoli (calabrese) had started to flower - have snapped off these flowering heads to deter this happening.

Shall monitor the butterfly situation (thanks Tim).

Is it usual that the broccoli is picked when in smallish clumps as mine have not exceeded 3" yet - am I a little impatient ;D
or should I wait until larger supermarket-size clumps form ???

Debs.

[Hels_Bels]

I've never grown calabrese before so DID get the boiled caterpillar and eggs situation. :-X Apparently soaking them in cold salt water for an hour before you cook will bring them to the surface, but I'm having doubts and haven't picked any more. I might return to buying them in the supermarket...

HB

[Mrs Ava]

NOOOOOOO HB, don't do that!  

[Wicker]

Oh Hels Bekl, I'm sure the supermarket ones are soo treated with insecticides/fungicides/irradiated that no insects or grubs could live on them - so what are we consuming if we buy them?  Soaking in salt water does bring them out or a really good rinse under running water.  Flavour is totally better too!!

[tim]

When?
Depends upon variety. Last year we were picking heads 6" or more across. But that was it. This lot is Hydra, which is going to produce many side-shoots, so I can afford to pick small. So long as there's no tinge of yellow, & the flowers are tight shut, you can wait. Trouble is, if you've got 15 plants like we have, you then have to eat one a day to keep up!
The other reason I'm picking small is that the side-shoots are so tightly close under the heads, that I can only just get a thin knife in to separate the head without damaging them. It's also attractive to serve the whole heads.
The head's about 3".=  Tim


And the cauli - like with others - is doing the same. Not exactly a prizewinner, like last year's.

[Mrs Ava]

Oh Tim, envious of your lovely white cauli!  My brocs are great, going to pick lots tomorrow - yummy - but my white caulis aren't white.  :'(

[tim]

The first pick of side-shoots. Nice that Hydra is only 18" high. = Tim

[tim]

May I add another thought? DO follow the instructions.

Victoriana's repeating cauli/sprouting-type things. Allow 3', they said. I don't have 3'!  Well I do now. They meant it!! And there's a 50' row of them. OMG. = Tim