Why has my raab bolted?

[pjh75]

I sowed my raab undercover on 14th Feb, it took a couple of weeks to germinate I and planted it out on 8th April.

I've never grown this before so when I took the first pic on 24th April I wasn't sure if it was supposed to look like that or if it was bolting. The second pic taken this morning definitely shows flowers, so does anyone know why this has happened? I thought bolting happened if it was too hot

It's happened to a couple of them, will they be okay if I remove the flower stem or is it too late? My brassicas were rubbish last year and I thought this year was going pretty well

[Two_Sheds]

You can eat the flower stalks: it's a quick crop, often ready about a month from planting

[pjh75]

Thanks Two Sheds. So it's not gone wrong then?

[Two_Sheds]

No - although you might prefer to eat them before the flowers open

[HeyWayne]

I think plants bolt when conditions change all of a sudden - so I guess the sudden warm blast could have caused it. The plant thinks 'Oh Croist, summer's here I'd better get me flowers out or I'll miss the boat'

If plants thought of course...

[realfood]

I am trying seed for three different types of broccoli raab, 40 day, 50 day, 60 day being the number of days to harvest. It seems to be the flower shoots that are eaten.

[gojiberry]

I always thought Raab formed flower fairly soon and you harvested as Two sheds said just before the flowers opened. I'm fairly certain the picture on one of my seed packets shows flower buds.

Ian

[Patchninja]

I'd never heard of it so I googled and got this :
Broccoli Raab, Broccoli Rabe, Rapini, How To Cook Broccoli Raab/Rapini

[womble]

Isn't this the seed that GYO mag gave away last year?

I tried it and it was rubbish, waste of time for me. I only had to look away for a few minutes and it went over. Won't be trying it again.

[pjh75]

Isn't this the seed that GYO mag gave away last year?

I tried it and it was rubbish, waste of time for me. I only had to look away for a few minutes and it went over. Won't be trying it again.

Yes, seeds were free with the mag. The thing that confused me was from the picture on the packet I expected the heads to be bigger and the plant to be bushier. Mine are tall and skinny with tiny heads, so I thought it wasn't ready yet.