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Vegetable Gardening

Kale, bok choi, Brussel sprouts are flowering

10 years ago

Hi this is my first time posting:)
I planted kale bok choi and Brussels sprouts in the garden a month and a half ago from inside my house they did great even got a few harvests so far from both kale an bok choi.
My problem is that some of these plants have started flowering ! They are only a few months old and I don't think that they should have flowers this early?? It hasn't been hot at all here. In fact the last 2 weeks have been about 15 celcius and cloudy..
Shoul I pull them and start more seeds? Is there anything I can do? Will they continue growing?

Ps. Anyone have organic solution to caterpillars on kale?

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Comments (7)

wolverine1012
10 years ago
Famerchris, you don't give your location which would be most helpful in providing answers to your questions.

But, use BT for the caterpillars on your kale.
farmerdill
10 years ago
Kale, bok choi naturally bolt when mature and daylight hours are increasing. They work much better as a fall planting. Heat has little to do with it, They are programm as spring flowers. Brussel Sprouts need to be planted around or after the summer soltice for best results.
I second the motion for Bt.
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I think it would be a good idea to try this question over on the Vegetable Forum where there are people who will know your conditions. I am very dubious about cutting down the Brussels sprouts because in my climate they have a very long growing season. Sow in March, plant out May/June and harvest Oct - February depending on variety. So I really doubt you can start from scratch now and get Brussels sprouts before the winter. I have never heard of cutting them down and can see no reason for it. You say the cabbage and sprouts look pretty good so why would you want to get rid of them? You'd be putting them back by months. They are biennials and if they survive the winter they will bolt next spring. You can tell they've bolted because they will have large bunches of yellow flowers.
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flora_uk
10 years ago
If they are bolting already in their first year from seed there is an implication that they are under some kind of stress. If the caterpillars are on bolted kale I'd save my money on BT and pull the plants.
farmerchris
Original Author
10 years ago
thanks everyone... im near vancouver...
i may just start some more of everything from seed again.. could anyone tell me when i should put kale into the garden to keep from bolting to fast.. and the brussell sprouts..
\ i bought some BT .. dont know if i should keep the plants that havnt bolted yet or harvest them all while i can and plant more....

any advice.?
bsickinger1956
9 years ago
Me bsprouts are gone to flowering what do I do now..I planted them last sept,2014 ,I live north east of Atlanta ,in cartersville Ga..

Can you tell me what I should do. I haven saw the first sprout yet. And now they have flowers ....thank you ,,this is my first try with sprouts..
farmerdill
9 years ago
Once Brussel Sprouts flower they are in their final stage of growth. Brussels take a long season. They need to be tranplanted in July for harvest in November, December, January. Because of the summerheat, I have not had much luck getting them started in Georgia.
elisa_z5
9 years ago
BTW, eat the flowers and the bolted part. It's all delicious. Sometimes if you cut off the bolted part of a brassica plant, it regrows, too.

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