Is this normal for broccoli?

[Littlemouse]

I am asking on behalf of my friend -

Why is my broccoli (not purple sprouting) but the other trad type, all leaf and no brocolli head? They have reached five feet in height so no complaints on the height front ...

Soil has not had any treatment or feed for ages. These were planted in the Spring.

It is not lack of light causing them to grow tall.

Any ideas? Might it be the variety. Friend cannot remember variety.

[Snadger]

Sprouting broccoli usually doesn't head up until the spring. If you sowed the plants early you WILL have huge plants.

Broccoli are renowned for being large plants anyway!

[gojiberry]

Don't know of any broccoli that reaches 5' in height, as far as I know the only brassicas that reach that height are kales. Don't know the proper name but there is one that they call the walking stick kale, literally because it makes a good walking stick. Even PSB usually only gets 3' high max.

Ian

[Snadger]

Don't know of any broccoli that reaches 5' in height, as far as I know the only brassicas that reach that height are kales. Don't know the proper name but there is one that they call the walking stick kale, literally because it makes a good walking stick. Even PSB usually only gets 3' high max.

Ian

Not in my garden goji! Walking stick (channel Island) kale made about 10 foot high, PSB about 4 foot six to five foot up til now, white broccoli 4 foot, tuscan kale 5 foot,brussel sprouts 4 foot!

[Beanie]

I've had a similar problem with my summer sprouting broccoli - bought them as small plants this time (ish) last year, in spring they shot up to about 5.5 feet tall but between the 6 plants, only produced one mini flower in the summertime. I had put it down to the fact that I mulched with old manure in the spring (cos that's what the instructions told me to do) - the only reason the plants are still alive & taking up space on the plot is that I'm hoping the suppliers got it wrong & sent me normal PSB, and that they'll sprout in the spring! Otherwise, it's rabbit-hutch time!!

[binley100]

All my psb were planted at the same time , one is heading up with side shoots and the others are not. It looks like it might need cutting soon but isn't going to feed four of us for sunday dinner!

[Shadylane]

Guys, I don't think s/he's talking about broccoli but calabrese. (?) Still I have no idea why it would get that high without a head. Probabaly the same reason why today I harvested a huge cauli and the one next to it is teeny tiny. Fickle.

[Littlemouse]

After further questioning, my friend cannot recolllect the source of these plants.. so really not too sure all round about what they are - so this post has possibly been the forum equivalent of a wild goose chase!

[zazen999]

How about a photo?