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Vegetable Gardening

Broccoli stems rotting in the garden

tnladyhillbilly

11 years ago

I planted broccoli, cauliflower(which turned out to be cabbage)brussel sprouts and cabbage. I have lost 2 broccoli and one brussel sprout. About two inches from the ground the stems have turned to mush. I dont see any sign of insect or worms. We have been fairly dry so I dont think it is due to too much water.
Anyone have this happen to your plants?
Thanks, Sheila

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Comments (3)

sunnibel7 Md 7
11 years ago
I've had it happen after hard freezing weather in the winter, but not quite like you described it. Insects or slugs, then secondary infection and rot maybe?
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stuffradio
11 years ago
It happened to me last year after we had snow weighing down on my Broccoli, and the plant kind of snapped.
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planatus
11 years ago
I don't try to keep broccoli into winter, because cold damage turns it to mush and cabbage aphids get really nasty. My last broccoli plants came out of the garden a month ago, planted in mid-June. I tried growing the red overwintering broccoli variety from Territorial last year, but the cover blew off while I was out of town and deer ate the plants. I think it's worth trying again, though.

I'm still getting brussels sprouts, which keep bouncing back from 24 degrees (under covers) and popping enough sprouts to eat once a week. No rot anywhere, even on the stem wounds where dozens of sprouts have been torn away.
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