can anyone tell me why my psb is sprouting already on the top head, i thought it wouldn't sprout til next year. has this bolted on me, its my first year and i only have this one plant that i have been nurturing for months. ???
any advice, thanks
(http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt5/jokey_02/garden3020.jpg)
(http://i592.photobucket.com/albums/tt5/jokey_02/garden3019.jpg)
Think it is doing what it knows best, sprouting -- would harvest that one and hopefully you'll
get lots more, ;)
sure looks like it has bolted, i don't have answer to why, someone else may have a clue. your speciman is a very healthy plant, all mine looks rubbish :(
thanks to you both
looks like its one bite of broccolli each for tea :P
OK so it's not what you expected, but it still looks fine. Gerry my husband would pick off most of those lovely green clean leaves and we would have them like spring greens if they are still tender, even the bolted flower/crown is edible so long as it is not yellow.
they don't seem to have many veggies like spring greens and brussel tops here in Ontario,,
To me gardening is a bit like bread making it does what it wants to do in it's sweet time, not always what you wanted but usually OK. ;-))))
qahtan
Yummy ! Pick it and eat it before those yellow flowers open . :)
thanks all
i'm having with my tea :P
Probably an Autumn variety?
Only cut the single top head - leave the side-shoots to develop.
Always try to leave embryo shoots when cuuting a stem.
thanks tim
what do you me by the embryo shoots, sorry i'm a newbie ???
Tim - I have to ask.....is that PSB really growing in that tiny pot underneath it or is it an optical illusion?
yes it is, is that not normal ;D ;D
.
my psb has done exactly the same. was shocked as was expecting next year...
thanks tim
had top head bite each for me and partner. Yummy :P
Quote from: jokey on August 22, 2009, 11:20:09
yes it is, is that not normal ;D ;D
Completely abnormal as far as I know to grow such a large brassica plant in such a small pot - quite miraculous in fact that it's such a whopper :D Well done! You must have really cared for it.
I never knew anyone grow one like that before - they are usually planted out at a young stage so that the roots can develop fully. In fact if you leave them in modules too long, a couple of months say, they generally bolt. Although saying that of course there's probably someone who's done it somewhere, sometime and they'll be posting here soon ;)
I can't find a picture of any brassica roots, but they would certainly want to stretch out and down a lot more than that pot allows. It's very 'top heavy'.
Also, sowing too early causes bolting apparantly, though seed packets can say March onwards, most books/websites say late April/May.
I assume that the roots have grown through the bottom of the pot into the soil.
There will be, however, still be a restriction in root growth and that will cause the plant to try and survive by flowering early.
There are many examples when you see weeds growing in cracks in paths etc. they reach maturity quickly and in a miniaturised form.
Have just been to the lottie, and we also have a PSB with a fine central head on it.
Will cut it off and see what happens to this plant and the apparently normal ones around it.
Maybe its the odd summer weather, my brussels have matured much earlier than expected too.
I also have two that has formed a head but mine has got yellow flowers on them. Wasn't sure what to expect as never grown before so I left it.
I'm guessing I should just cut the yellow bit off and leave now, should I? :-\
Don't really know what I'm doing with brassicas as first time this year.
Had a lovely cabbage so far tho. Very proud. ;D
Not good to eat when the flowers open yellow.
Once you see yellow flowers, cut 'em off as the head's blown. No good to eat those. :P
Also, the psb may be pot-bound and like most plants has resorted to flowering.
I had a couple of mine go early this year - eat 'em! Yum.
Thanks Tim and Squashfan. Will have to keep a closer eye on them in future. :)