Too late to sow Broccoli? Going to have a go anyway....any tips?

[babymunkey]

I have a space in the poly tunnel, wants filling. My new mantra is only to grow what we eat and we eat a tonne of Broccoli. Didn't think of it til now and hoping its not too late.

So I have some seed, says can be sown up til June. My plan is to sow directly into the ground in the poly tunnel. The man I spoke to in the garden centre reckoned they should be OK in there, and then would make it through the first frost in the autumn.

My worry is that they poly tunnel will be too hot for them? Am I wasting my time? Any tips?

H

[Scarlet]

What broccoli is it? Calabrese, sprouting and the variety? Does it say on the pack how many days from sowing to harvest?

[babymunkey]

Its...Beaumont F1, Autumn Broccoli. The pack says sow Feb-Jun, Harvest Jun-Nov
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Sow indoors from Feb-April, outdoors from Mar - Jun. I figured we're only 10 days over, might be worth a shot?

(as you can probably tell, am a complete novice - I tend to stick things in the ground and see what happens!)

[roitelet]

I sow PSB about now to go in the tunnel that way I get a crop and the plants aren't too huge. Don't use anything special just the ordinary sort that I sowed in spring and are now planted out in the ground. It's an insurance policy as if we get a hard winter I loose all the outside ones. If the weather is kind we look like PSB!!

I also sow Black Tuscan kale for the same reasons.

[Scarlet]

I would start off in modules and plant up when you have some sturdy little plants rather than sowing direct.

[babymunkey]

Hi Scarlet - sorry do you mean seed trays (with pots in, not open trays?)

[Scarlet]

You an start off in seed trays - if that's what you have. When they have two sets of true leaves, pot on into small individual pots and grow on.

[bario1]

I think it'll be too hot for seedlings in the tunnel, they'll get leggy. Start them in trays or whatever outside and plant them in the tunnel in September or whenever it cools down?

[Alison]

I sowed mine in pots a few weeks ago and will grow on. I always plant some in the tunnel after the toms and crop them in the spring. They do well but it's far too hot in there now.

[babymunkey]

Oooh good idea didnt think of that. Did wonder if it would be too hot for them in there for now - we're in Oxfordshire, so gets pretty warm in the hot weather we've had recently, both ends are open already and it gets a good breeze through but its still warm in there.

[bario1]

I always plant some in the tunnel after the toms and crop them in the spring.

What kind, Alison? Calabrese? Or a 'tenderstem' type?

[HoneyChild]

I just bought some calabrese and some cauliflower seeds yesterday and sowed 12 of each so hopefully they'll be OK. I'm completely new to gardening so just thought I didn't really have anything to lose.

[Alison]

What kind, Alison? Calabrese? Or a 'tenderstem' type?

Calabrese, same stuff I use outdoors for an autumn crop

[bario1]

I wonder if a tenderstem type would overwinter? Don't think I have enough space in my tunnel for calabrese types - I'll definitely never make the mistake of putting purple sprouting in my tunnel ever again, it grew to monstrous proportions and still hadn't flowered by late June, when I had to cut it down to make room for all the usual polytunnel fayre!

[Sheilakins]

I've just started more calabrese off for picking Septemberish time & intend setting some more off towards the end of next month to take us thro Christmas, if it get too cold for them I was just gonna thro the fleece over xx