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Vegetable Gardening

another broccoli question :/

14 years ago

I have a couple of broccoli plants that are growing the main heads, but i noticed that they are starting to put out little side shoots. I thought the side shoots started after the main head is cut off. Is this normal on some plants? This my first time growing cole plants.

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Comments (9)

farmerdilla
14 years ago
Its normal on some cultivars, especially those that are closer to the old sprouting broccoli, like Calabrese.De Cicco and the like.
ancfan
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Farmerdilla :)
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I do have lettuce in different stages of growth. I have harvested about 4 "heads" already. It's awesome!! I'm so happy with my lettuce. I don't remove them completely, I leave the stem and a few leaves and they seem to grow again. You can see that straggly thing in the back of the picture, lettuce I hope will grow up again. lol. This is just 1 of 4 beds that I have. And yes there are holes, but nothing too much to worry about. Here is bed #2. I also have 1 of all strawberries and another that I have 2 sugar baby watermelons and will have 2 pie pumpkins, hopefully. So should I just let those broccoli etc keep growing? I did ready somewhere online to clothespin the leaves together to help them form heads. Any thoughts on this?
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hi there jimbob17 looks like you might have had a few slugs too, they might be what caused the marks on your broccoli stems (I can't really see the stems on the photo). If your unlucky it could be a Pathogen, bacterial or fungal.Check out some photos online of Black rot, black leg, black leaf spot and grey leaf spot. If canola is grown near you the likelyhood of these diseases rises significantly. If you don't like what you see, pull up your brassicas and bag them, at the first opportunity burn or tip them. Don't plant them in that spot again for a min of 3 years There are however a number of less sinister possibilities, the aforementioned slugs, with yellowing caused by nutrient deficiency. Do a ph test (kits are usually available at nurseries and produce stores), to grow brassicas you need a sweet soil - ph 6.5 to 7. Another cause of deficiency is water logging so check your drainage (dig a hole fill it with water and see how long it takes to empty, ideally less than an hour in a vegie garden) if drainage is slow build up your beds and NEVER EVER walk on them when their damp. Sometimes broccoli just seems to get tired and lanky you could try cutting off all the old leaves and stems and side dressing with dynamic lifter or blood and bone, or some rotted manure. I"ve had some born again broccoli after this treatment. Be sure to practice crop rotation waiting a few years before you plant any brassica family crops in this spot again. all the best janeymax
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davidgreenthumb
14 years ago
Certain broccoli varieties produce differently. Like Farmerdilla stated, De Cicco produces many side shoots. It looks like your in zone 9. I am in Jacksonville, in NE FL, same zone. If you want to try and grow large heads, try the Green Goliath broccoli. It does very well in this zone. Broccoli is one of my tops crops to grow.

David
ancfan
Original Author
14 years ago
I don't know what variety I planted right now, I'm at work(hehe)I think I will try the Goliath next fall. I also have califlower the reg white and purple, and brussel sprouts. Thanks for all the info :)
ancfan
Original Author
14 years ago
The variety is Calabrease :)
farmerdilla
14 years ago
Calabrese is a sprouting broccoli. Lots of side shoots. More side shoots than central head.
davidgreenthumb
14 years ago
Broccoli transplants should not go out any later then late march in Zone 9. Watch for the white moths, in warmer temps,= cabbage looper.

David
larryw
14 years ago
I'm up here in cold country in east central Ohio. I discovered Green Goliath Broccoli 4 or 5 years ago and find it to be the best I've ever grown. And once the big central heads are harvested it will put out nice side shoots till late fall. We will be planting our cole crops for germination under grow lights on March 5.
grandad_2003
14 years ago
Ditto on Green Goliath. It's the only OP cultivar that I plant. I also do well with Premium Crop Hybrid.

While our Louisiana planting guide shows broccoli (seed) can be planted in January, I find that the broccoli which matures in spring has an overly strong broccoli taste. So I've given up on the Spring plantings. I stick with only Fall plantings.

Here is a Fall 2008 pic - I didn't take a Fall 2009 photo. If I had, it wouldn't have been very pretty - far too much rain followed by abnormally cold temps. Production was less than 50% of a normal year.

{{gwi:24347}}

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