Non-heading broccoli

6 years ago

Hi Everyone.

Can anyone recommend a non heading broccoli variety for zone 5? I’d like something I can continually harvest instead of waiting for one large head. Looking at Apollo or piracicaba.

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Comments (4)

LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
6 years ago
The only non heading broccoli I have tried is Aspabroc this past spring and fall. It is very good with a slight peppery taste. The stems are the best part and are very tender. I'm not sure how long you can harvest it for. I've grown it in the spring started in early April and harvested from early May until early June when it was pulled to make room for other crops. In the fall I set out the plants on August 12 and started harvesting in early October and continued until around Thanksgiving IIRC. Aspabroc has a smaller footprint and grows taller than heading broccoli so you can plant it at about 8" spacing with no problem.
digdirt2
6 years ago
Are you more looking for the broccolini varieties or perhaps broccoli rabe types? Neither are true "Broccoli" (brassica oleracea italicais). Apollo is "Brokali Apollo", a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale but it usually forms a small primary head and then side shoots will develop. Same for Piracicaba - broccolini that forms a small central head plus many side shoots.

Broccoli rabe forms no head.

Dave
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3"? From this day forward, keep a daily eye on them. Don't look for 8-9" heads -- you may not get them. Look for the florets starting to separate. Just a bit of separation, harvest it. Don't cut TOO low on the main stalk as the nodes below the harvest cut is where the sides shoots will form. Once they start to separate, that's it -- it's actually a little past it's prime. So, from there, you know that you want to harvest the other heads just a bit sooner. Once separated, they'll start to bolt. .I've never noticed a drastic change in taste on bolted broccoli, but the stalks will become woody. Flowers? Well past picking time. The smaller shoots are just like the main head. They do tend to bolt quicker, so every few days, go out and harvest or check. After a while you get the feel when a head or shoot is ready. Nice and tight--- good. Separation--- bad. Side shoots will continue. Just harvest before separation. I've had broccoli go all summer and fall with side shoots. Water well and mulch heavily when it really heats up. Kevin This post was edited by woohooman on Tue, May 6, 14 at 12:58
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Agree that it is way too late for broccoli even in your zone. It is a cool weather, early spring crop long since harvested. Planting in mid-June is too late and the heat now will only cause it to bolt, not form heads. Try April next year or look up the Fall garden planting date for zone 5 and start some new transplants now for planting then. Dave
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'Would you serve these to your friends at a dinner party?' Honestly, no, I wouldn't and I am a very parsimonious cook. Not because of the colour per se but because the heads are overmature and on the verge of flowering. So yes, either someone waited too long to harvest or it is quite a while since they were picked. They don't look at all fresh. Cook a bit for yourself and you will probably taste the problem.
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What confuses you about a side shoot growing? You can harvest the main head anytime and the small side shoots will start producing. I just watch them until they start to loosen up a little and then harvest. You have been a member since 2002 so I feel strange suggesting using the search button.
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farmerdill
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
The spouting broccolis form side shoots with minimum central head. Many of the older heading broccoli varieties also produce side shoots for an extended harvest. One the more popular is Green Sprouting Calabrese. https://www.southernstates.com/catalog/p-8246-broccoli-green-sprouting-calabrese.aspx . There are also Purple Sprouting and White Sprouting varieties. Aspabroc was the original broccolini. Since that introduction several developers have introduced broccoli Chinese kale crosses. In addition to Apollo and Piracicaba There are Artist, Atlantis, Happy Rich ... There is also a leaf broccoli Spigariello Liscia, never tried it. probably similar to kale.
glib
6 years ago
I bought some seeds sold as gai lan at Johnny's. They were not gai lan at all but everyone involved in our garden was very pleased. Robust plants that, for 50 plants, generate maybe 10 small broccoli heads a week for several months. Doubling to 100 plants or more next year. Also, this variety is not brassica oleracea, because it has white flowers.

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Non-heading broccoli

Comments (4)

LoneJack Zn 6a, KC

digdirt2

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farmerdill

glib

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