They seemed to have gone from all leaf to flowering. I've got so few spears but lots of leaf. Now thinking it wasn't worth all the effort in nurturing them. Any idea what I've done wrong? Is it too much nitrogen in the soil do you think? What broccoli/calabrese recommendations do you have? My daughters eat loads of it and I've hardly got any :(
Sorry to hear that, cut off the flower stalks and they shoud send up small new shoots, at least you will get something.
Could it be too much manure in the ground? I grow Fiesta which I think is strictly speaking calibres but after cutting the head off it always puts out lots of spears for ages after. However I would say although I have done OK this year I have not had as good a harvest as previously.
I am a newbie at broccoli, but the calibres you just cut a head of and it grows from another leaf stalk again. When the kids eat a lot of it maybe you should try it for next year.
My broccoli has all started growing and I wonder does anyone know if I cut the head off - do I leave i in the ground (the plant) will it get anymore broccoli off the plant or will I bin it? ::)
I have never had success with broccoli although a new variety of purple broccoli called Wok Broc has not been too bad. Very small heads but a good six pickings per plant so the seed catalogue said, however, I have not got to the sixth one as the caterpillars got there first. I have tried to be organic with brassica but to no avail, today I bought a cabbage from the supermarket. I felt very guilty as an allotment holder but it was perfect, not a hole or Caterpillar in sight. My cauliflowers were even worse no matter how much I soaked them the beasts still boiled with them. This is very off putting and next year I will not grow a single brassica. Spinach and American Water cress will take their place. Lets be honest no one can grow these cabbage related things without pesticide. I do not want to cover my plot with fleece I do not see the point.
I was given some spare plants, put them in, in april or may. They had a few leaves on, then suddenly overnight they seemed to bud, flower and all under 1' tall. I grew some myself and they're doing ok.