Broccoli

[Rosyred]

First time growing veg of any sort and I have grow broccoli. One plant has the big head in the middle once I cut it off will the plant produce more or is that it? Same for PSB do they keep producing?

[Rosyred]

[saddad]

Depends... sounds like a calabrese rather than a true broccoli, one large head and that's it.... cut it and wait...
;D

[tim]

If the big one's broccoli, it won't.

PSB - yes!

[weedbusta]

i grew broccoli this year and was told by a plot neighbour if i cut the main head off another couple of wee shoots would form a little lower. i did, and they did , they were pretty small but cute as a button.

[calendula]

a lot of brassicas will re-shoot if you cut the main head off, it is their nature to want to grow but you can't always depend on the second result being up to much - however, I left my spring cabbages in the ground after harvesting, just never got round to pulling them and they have all regrown into usable cabbages again - cool  ;D

[Rosyred]

So next year what sort should I grow to be able to cut over and over again?

[tim]

I agree with Cal, but I really don't think that it's worth leaving things in, in the hope that new shoots will come, whereas you should be cleaning the ground for something more profitabe.....???

[calendula]

So next year what sort should I grow to be able to cut over and over again?

as Tim says, you are best staying with sprouting broccoli as that is what it does best, others are a bit of a risk, however sprouting broccoli can be quite slow to reproduce, huge plants, in the ground a long time and I actually don't grow it as I prefer the big heads of calabrese, but the flavour of sprouting broccoli first thing in spring is divine

[Merry Tiller]

CIMA DI RAPA

[dicky]

How did people do with Brocolli this year, papers were saying it was a bad year and mine was pretty bad.

Flea beelte were a pain and the heads seem small and very tight. not a great flavour either.

Was it just a very bad year?

[theothermarg]

;D ;DI grew several types and it was my best ever year I do net it but don't ever water
I start every thing I can in the greenhouse plant it deep into pots then deep again
in my plot that way it's big enough to fend for itself (exept for pigeons)

[Rosyred]

First year, they did ok better then I expected. In fact i'm well chuffed and been showing everyone my broccoli. Looks like I brought from a supermarket. I netted for a while then thought 'what the heck' and left them, One thing I will ask does everyone have to double, triple check for caterpillers?

[tim]

Rosy - apart from the ordinary Sprouting Broccoli - Autumn to Spring - you have Tenderstem & 9 Star Perennial?

[tabbycat]

My PSB seems to being doing ok. I've netted it as the pigeons love it and yes, Rosyred, I had loads of catapillars. I came back from holiday and one bed had been shredded to glory by them. I'm ashamed to say I resorted to Derris. I just couldn't find them to pick them all off. The little b*ggers are great at hiding!

[Mrs Ava]

2 of my PSB plants are now over 6 foot tall!  I can't see if they have sprouted!!  Is this normal?  My 9 star perennial has spread further than it has gone up, but it is tatty.  Hope it is okay!