Broccoli

[Holly Daze]

Good morning! Yesterday I decided to weed between my broccoli plants. (Calabrese). I took the Enviromesh off and had a little look to see if the heads were forming. Aaargh, I had only gone and planted more cauliflowers. I now have 24. 😫 my question is, am I too late to plant my broccoli? Thank you.

[Jungle Jane]

I don’t think it’s too late to plant,try not to plant more cauliflowers again tho I haven’t even sowed broccoli yet,I was in the garden yesterday & where I cut down my old plants & left two inch of stem,it’s sprouted growth so this is interesting,I’ll keep it growing but also sow some seeds

[ameno]

It depends on the variety, as some are much faster maturing than others.
For a faster maturing variety this certainly isn't too late. You could sow now and have a crop for late summer or autumn, but for longer season varieties it probably is too late now. The variety description should tell you whether it's fast maturing or not. Generally speaking the older varieties tend to be slower.

You might also want to give tenderstem broccoli a go. The seeds are a little more costly (depending on the variety, you get 20-35 in a packet, for the same price as you might get 50-100 of a normal broccoli variety), but it's very fast growing (this time of year you should get your first crop in 60-70 days from sowing), and it crops continuously all summer and autumn, through to the first hard frosts (it can shrug of light frosts, but harder ones will kill it).

[Holly Daze]

I think there’s going to be a lot of cauliflower cheese in our house. I’m going with both suggestions. Could be a win win situation. Thank you for your help both.

[Bren In Pots]

Holly here’s a link to some cauliflower recipes, from when Snoop had a glut of them :-

https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...flower-recipes

[Holly Daze]

Thanks Bren, the roasted cauliflower looks particularly good.

[Penellype]

I don't know about calabrese, which is a summer flowering plant, but I grow the PSB variety Rioja which can be sown as late as August - see https://www.plantsofdistinction.co.u...-rioja-f1-0125. I have had far more success with this than the other varieties I have tried (Early Purple and Claret).

[Marb67]

Mine were sown a couple of months ago and I potted the seedlings on into these pots but still pathetic. Story of my gardening life......

[ameno]

Mine were sown a couple of months ago and I potted the seedlings on into these pots but still pathetic. Story of my gardening life......

Those are very leggy, a sign they are not getting nearly enough light.
The slow growth issue is almost certainly a lack of nutrient, though. I had a similar problem the year before last. Brassicas are hungry plants, even at seedling stage.
To be honest, with so many of your seedlings showing slow, weak growth, I'm suspecting your compost is to blame.

[mrsbusy]

Those are very leggy, a sign they are not getting nearly enough light.
The slow growth issue is almost certainly a lack of nutrient, though. I had a similar problem the year before last. Brassicas are hungry plants, even at seedling stage.
To be honest, with so many of your seedlings showing slow, weak growth, I'm suspecting your compost is to blame.

Yes I agree - combo of low light and compost - this year I have upped my game on compost - mainly by using a good quality MPC and mixing either with sieved top soil or J.I 2. 50/50..also.pre used MPC + top soil for less hungry plants with added BFB.
I also find that getting the plants in the ground not pots helps alot.

[ameno]

I also find that getting the plants in the ground not pots helps alot.

I agree. Even with good compost, I find brassica seedlings can sometimes stall in pots, but when you plant them out (even as quite small seedlings), they soon grow away.

I've also found that keeping them in the same pot for too long is detrimental to them, so instead of sowing them in 8cm pots like I used to, I now sow in 3 cm pots then pot on once they are bigger (although lately I sometimes skip the potting on and just plant them out at the 3cm pot stage).

[Marb67]

Well, now I have been allowed to grow on a large plot I thought I could plant these out but look at them. Getting even smaller (this seems to happen to only myself with plants) and nibbled by I don't know what as they are on a table. So I shall sow a new batch, and make sure I sow many more to cover myself and get them in before Autumn kicks in.

[Nicos]

I’d be tempted to sow some more, but mix in some of the topsoil from the plot in some of the pots to see if it helps.

[peacegarden2024]

if you time calabrese,correctly you can plant and harvest for fall.

[Andraste]

Hi Holly Daze,

I got some seed Fothergills seed for Broccoli Raab/Rabe '60 days' free with a magazine & sowed some of those at the beginning of the week. Apparently they'll crop in (yes you've guessed it) 60 days lol.

The internet tells me it's not actually Broccoli but Broccoletti/Broccolinni/Rapini (depending on what name you like best) & although it's like PSB the plants aren't so big.

Might be worth a try for you too?