Chicken boarders

[ali-s]

My six Broccoli plants are all flowering. They haven't even developed a head, more like a floret. I cut off the centre flowering florets from all the plants but now three days later little side florets are developing and also flowering.

 

Is there anything I can do to stop this?

[Chickpea]

I'm afraid not brassicas bolt at the drop of a hat; is it the head forming calabrese you are growing or the sprouting broccoli type? If it is the heads then definatly no, sprouting kind, you might get a harvest from the side shoots.

[ali-s]

The Broccoli is the head forming type. I am snipping off the bits that are flowering and using the non flowering florets.

[chickencam]

It is usually a sign of stree in the plant, the weather this year has been so changable that may be the problem or maybe a bit more fertiliser next time. We always plant our brassicas with a sprinkling of chicken manure pellets in the planting hole and some lime, but we do have very sandy soil which is hard to over lime.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My broccoli has formed heads (some absolutely massive) but now the heads are becoming less tightly packed, if that makes sense. Is this a precursor to flowering or bolting? They're also turning slightly yellow (like supermarket broccoli does when it's old ).

[LolaLayla]

I cut the heads off mine at the weekend as they looked ready, then blanched and froze them. I made a mistake of thinking that once the main head is over then that is the end of the plant and I pulled one up and gave it to the rabbit. I then read online that if you leave it after cutting off the main head smaller ones will grow round the lower part of the plant. So the rest have been left in position. I am paranoid that this year the veg will not go over before we either eat it or I freeze it. Last year a lot of peas went to waste so I am blanching and freezing like mad

[ali-s]

The beds were well prepared with lime and composted Chicken poo and Hemcore.

 

I am harvesting the Broccoli like you would with the Purple sprouting type. It is so easy to snip off the Broccoli florets and they taste delicious.

[rabbitfluff]

Ah interesting thread! I take it this has bolted then? (hope there's an image of my broccoli there - flickr is being silly)

 

 

Like most things in the garden, it's the first time I've grown it so wasn't sure what was normal! Can I eat the little shoots or should I just dig it up and swear at it a bit?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I think probably swearing at it is the way to go .

 

It's the first time I've grown broccoli too so I was gobsmacked when I got a few "normal" looking broccoli heads . These are 2 of them but they are starting to spread out and go a bit yellow so I gather it's best to pick them early.

 

It's pot luck though, I've had 4 massive ones and 2 others which are tiny .

 

 

[rabbitfluff]

I now have broccoli envy. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who takes pictures of their vegetables!

[ali-s]

Ah interesting thread! I take it this has bolted then? (hope there's an image of my broccoli there - flickr is being silly)

 

 

Like most things in the garden, it's the first time I've grown it so wasn't sure what was normal! Can I eat the little shoots or should I just dig it up and swear at it a bit?

 

That is what my Broccoli looked like but maybe not so advanced in flowering. I cut off the flowering stems and gave them to the Chickens, they loved it. Now little broccoli side shoots (florets) are growing on the plants. I just snip off the florets before they have a chance to flower. They taste just as good as Broccoli which has developed a head.

[chickencam]

I may be wrong but that particular plant looks more like a cauliflower with it's pointed leaves, they bolt very easily at this time of year especially on light soils.

 

My broccoli is just coming but it looks like we are going to have quite small heads, which is probably a good thing because we have an embarrassment of veg at them moment.

[gongladosh]

It's the first time I've grown broccoli too so I was gobsmacked when I got a few "normal" looking broccoli heads . These are 2 of them but they are starting to spread out and go a bit yellow so I gather it's best to pick them early.

 

It's pot luck though, I've had 4 massive ones and 2 others which are tiny .

 

 

 

Mine just has the leaves...

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Isn't it odd how we all have different degrees of success ? Mine were bought as tiny plants from the garden centre - did you all do yours from seed?

 

I did have mine netted from day one - don't know if that made a difference? I certainly didn't have any caterpillars this year .

[ali-s]

Isn't it odd how we all have different degrees of success ? Mine were bought as tiny plants from the garden centre - did you all do yours from seed?

 

I did have mine netted from day one - don't know if that made a difference? I certainly didn't have any caterpillars this year .

 

Mine were bought as plants from Homebase. I haven't netted mine but they are Caterpillar free.

[LolaLayla]

My broccoli was grown from seed last year. I transplanted them to the raised bed in the autumn and put nets over them then. I have never had much success with brassicas but thought I would leave them and see what happened! I was really amazed when they started to develop lovely heads. I am definitely keeping the nets on until they finish producing though.

[chickencam]

There is nothing worse than cooked caterpillar , we kep all of our brassicas covered with enviromesh.

[Valkyrie]

First time we've had success with butterfly netting. But ours has all rushed and flowered so the girls have been having a good chomp on the old plants where I'm pulling them up. We did get quite a few dinners from them though. Next year the bed will be devoted to fruit, enlarged and will have lots of raspberries and strawberries.

 

Lovely looking broccers though.