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Vegetable Gardening

When should I give up on my broccoli??

13 years ago

This weekend I put my tomatoes and broccoli out for a lil sun for a few hours each day. I still haven't set it up so that the tomatoes can stay out there but I decided to take the broccoli out yesterday and leave it out since it likes the cold. First I repotted several deeper into paper cups since they were so spindly. The leaves are no bigger than a 1/2" to 3/4" max. Seems like they haven't grown much recently. I checked on them this morning and they look like they survived the night and the replant but are still no bigger than before (not that I expected overnight growth).

I googled broccoli seedlings and my seedlings look nothing like what I found. I wanted to plant them in the ground this upcoming weekend hopefully but I think they are way too small. I also wonder if they will even get a chance to produce before summer hits.

Anyway I am debating on planting what I have and hoping for the best. Pricing some broc plants from the nursery and if not too much just using those OR forgetting about spring broccoli and try again for fall.

Blah. :( Maybe seed starting wasn't a good idea.

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Comments (8)

lunita
13 years ago
Do you have lights set up indoors for your seedlings? How old are they? When will the weather start hitting 85 or 90 degrees regularly in your area?
SpringAngel
Original Author
13 years ago
I started the seedlings just with a sunny window for the first month, then they had a little over a week with two added compact flor. bulb lamps near them. I have some pics of my setup on this board somewhere. (i added a second lamp since those pics)

No idea when the weather will be consistantly that high. I live in Iowa so its always up and down even in summer. My guess would be June or July. Our last frost date is the last week of the month but we had one really warm day Sunday (80) but now its back to 30s-50s.
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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
13 years ago
It could be just a bit cold yet for your seedlings. I am debating about my own broccoli and cabbage. I like/need to set out the larger ones this week and likely will set some of them out....it is just a bit colder here also than I like. Mine are growing ok for most of them.

I was hoping to plant the first corn too this week, but may wait a few days. I start it under clear plastic until they start coming up...important to keep rain off the bed.
SpringAngel
Original Author
13 years ago
I just looked at the weekend forecast. There is a chance of SNOW! Ugh. maybe i won't be planting them this weekend.
laceyvail 6A, WV
13 years ago
Snow is never a problem, unless it is combined with very cold weather. And then the plants are insulated by the snow. Very cold weather is the problem.
SpringAngel
Original Author
13 years ago
Hmm I didn't know that about snow. Low is 30 on Saturday so it will be cold but not THAT cold.

I was at walmart last night and checked out their plants. Broc and Cauli plants are only 1.69 each so that will be my back up. I guess I will give my own plants a week or so more. My cauli and broc are just so little still and aren't growing much. I guess I could always try again for fall with seeds.

My tomatoes are starting to look great. Thicker stems, lots of leaves. They should be good to transplant by first weekend in May or last weekend in April. So that makes me happy. :)
mbrown512_yahoo_com
12 years ago
I planted broccoli in April. Since then they have flowered and the yellow flowers have fallen off and all I have now are stems with nothing on them. Will something come or do I just pull them up and throw them away.

This is my first time and I wanted to see if I could grow them. Any advice.

Here is a link that might be useful: gardenweb.com
farmerdill
12 years ago
They are through. Remember the desired part of broccoli is the flower bud, used before the blooms open. Once it flowers it has finished it mission.

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