Planted calabrese broccoli and it looks like the head is already opening up. There also appears to be little side shoots. Located in Arizona, where the weather has been very mild, if not cold this winter. Nothing above 75 degrees.
Yeah that’s going to seed. I honestly gave up on broccoli because of this happening over and over seemingly without explanation.
Alive_Recognition_55
Harvest that head now, before flowers start to show color, while it’s still decently edible. Calabrese produces smaller heads but lots of them, so hopefully you’ll get some side shoots before it gets too hot.
cody_mf
all the times Ive ever attempted to grow brassicas, they bolt on me the second I look away. If you dont harvest now, you can potentially let it bolt and have an absurd amount of seeds for next year for you, your friends, their friends friends, and their entire families too. I grew bok choi last year and they bolted before I could do anything and now I have a medium mason jar full of seeds to plant in a shadier better spot in succession so if I do it right I have a continuous supply of fresh bok choi leaves.
My work around for my bolting problem is to revert to just straight up grow mustard (Brassica Juncea) with the intent for it to bolt so that I can make homemade spicy honey mustard sauce.
AliciaXTC
No, brocolli is from the cabbages genus while toast is from the breakfast genus.
DudeInTheGarden
Your broccoli is not toast – it’s a vegetable, not a piece of browned bread.
In all seriousness, the head might not get any bigger. It’s not just about temp – it’s also about daylight hours – more than 10 a day.
I would cut the main head off, and eat it. Then wait for the side-shoots to develop, and then cut those off and eat them. Continue till the plant gives up.
Not_l0st
Broccoli still tastes fine after it starts to bolt. Harvest now, but leave the plant; you will likely get additional heads you can eat later.
Upstairs-Jaguar-5335
That broccoli just **headed early**, which is common in mild winter/desert climates. The head isn’t opening yet, it’s just getting close. Harvest the main head **soon (before any yellow flowers show)**, even if it’s smaller than expected. Once you cut it, the plant will put energy into those **side shoots**, which will keep producing smaller but perfectly good broccoli.
spaetzlechick
Bolting can happen due to stress – not just heat. Make sure you’re planting at the best time for your area. Look at your extension vegetable gardening guide to confirm.
Make sure you’re planting a good variety for your conditions. Last year I planted two varieties of broccoli in very early spring. One variety did what yours is doing, the other formed gorgeous large heads. The poor spring variety did much better the following fall.
Lastly, harvest that floret now, and provide a bit of fertilizer and consistent moisture. You will likely get a number of side florets which I honestly prefer to a single big head. I even prefer aspabroc for summer planting. Very tolerant and loads of florets every week.
ok_heat5972
What variety is this broccoli not all grow big middle heads some grow alot of small heads
9 Comments
Yeah that’s going to seed. I honestly gave up on broccoli because of this happening over and over seemingly without explanation.
Harvest that head now, before flowers start to show color, while it’s still decently edible. Calabrese produces smaller heads but lots of them, so hopefully you’ll get some side shoots before it gets too hot.
all the times Ive ever attempted to grow brassicas, they bolt on me the second I look away. If you dont harvest now, you can potentially let it bolt and have an absurd amount of seeds for next year for you, your friends, their friends friends, and their entire families too. I grew bok choi last year and they bolted before I could do anything and now I have a medium mason jar full of seeds to plant in a shadier better spot in succession so if I do it right I have a continuous supply of fresh bok choi leaves.
My work around for my bolting problem is to revert to just straight up grow mustard (Brassica Juncea) with the intent for it to bolt so that I can make homemade spicy honey mustard sauce.
No, brocolli is from the cabbages genus while toast is from the breakfast genus.
Your broccoli is not toast – it’s a vegetable, not a piece of browned bread.
In all seriousness, the head might not get any bigger. It’s not just about temp – it’s also about daylight hours – more than 10 a day.
I would cut the main head off, and eat it. Then wait for the side-shoots to develop, and then cut those off and eat them. Continue till the plant gives up.
Broccoli still tastes fine after it starts to bolt. Harvest now, but leave the plant; you will likely get additional heads you can eat later.
That broccoli just **headed early**, which is common in mild winter/desert climates. The head isn’t opening yet, it’s just getting close. Harvest the main head **soon (before any yellow flowers show)**, even if it’s smaller than expected. Once you cut it, the plant will put energy into those **side shoots**, which will keep producing smaller but perfectly good broccoli.
Bolting can happen due to stress – not just heat. Make sure you’re planting at the best time for your area. Look at your extension vegetable gardening guide to confirm.
Make sure you’re planting a good variety for your conditions. Last year I planted two varieties of broccoli in very early spring. One variety did what yours is doing, the other formed gorgeous large heads. The poor spring variety did much better the following fall.
Lastly, harvest that floret now, and provide a bit of fertilizer and consistent moisture. You will likely get a number of side florets which I honestly prefer to a single big head. I even prefer aspabroc for summer planting. Very tolerant and loads of florets every week.
What variety is this broccoli not all grow big middle heads some grow alot of small heads