Formula One Calebrese!!!

[Ger-annie-um]

Last September I took delivery of and planted some calabrese.......never grown it before. despite the fact we love eating it. Right now the six or so plants are standing at around 5ft tall, disgustingly healthly looking with trunks around 2 - 3" in diameter. Trouble is, not a blinking sign of any calebrese. What to do guys, give up and dig up? I could offer the trunks to anyone who wants to make a walking stick Any advice welcome

[Kaiya]

Eh, mine are four foot tall willowy sprays of yellow flowers, no head in sight. Very pretty, but not so useful on the edible side though. I leave everything until I need to space - might as well have something pretty or potentially edible rather than a opportunistic weed.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Do we mean calabrese or brocoli?

Kaiya, if you want something to eat cut of the flowers pronto.

Colin

[Ger-annie-um]

Colin

Definately calabrese, Marathon F1 I think, and, you wouldn@t believe it but not a hint of caterpillers or whitefly! PSB's a doddle in our garden

[Potstubsdustbins]

Maybe just maybe someone sold you the wrong plants/seeds. It just does not sound like Marathon, usual growing time 65 to 75 days, normal height about 2ft.

Can you post a pic?

Colin

[Ger-annie-um]

Sorry Colin, rubbish at growing calabrese (well good at growing it, lousy at getting it to fruit) but even worse when trying to take and post pictures...........the whole process totally mystifies me. Guess anything that has been in the ground for a year and isn't producing anything edible - although we could use the leaves as a cabbage I suppose, needs to be put out of my misery! Maybe give it another go next year using seed, any recommendations? I love calabrese/brocoli

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have been growing Green Magic calabrese for a number of years now and class it as my old faithful.

I start it off in modules (calabrese hates root disturbance) in mid April and plant out in late June at 8 plants to the square metre after having dug in some Growmore. I then use a high nitrogen fertilizer to promote green growth.

Harvest will begin in August and from those 8 plants I expect 8 full sized heads and the equivalent of 4 more heads from the side shoots.

Colin

[Ger-annie-um]

Thanks Colin

Will look out for some seed and give it a go using your method.

Watch this space this time next year!