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Re: flowering broccoli

Hi Mark,

> hi - my broccoli is flowering (little light green things coming out of the
> top) - does this mean i should be harvesting it
> or should i cut off the flowering stuff and let it grow more - or should i
> have harvested a week ago? thanks alot, mark gibson

> ps - i love this mailing list :)

That sounds like the broccoli forming up, the little green unopened flower buds.
The plant will continue making more of these until you have a mature head.
Depending on the variety you're growing, it can be anything from a loose spray
of buds to a dense dome 8" across!  If you let it go beyond it's "ripe" point
the head begins to spread open and the individual buds begin to show their
yellow petals.  They are still fine to harvest this way, just not as cosmetic.
If you leave them much longer they open most of their flowers and become tougher
and more bitter, so not as good.  The bees like them though!

Harvest a head by cutting just below where all the head's stems join into the
main stem.  What you leave behind in the garden will sprout several more smaller
heads, right through into the summer.  BTW, when the weather get's hot the
broccoli gets more bitter so I tend to let it flower then.  It provides food for
and attracts beneficial insects.

Bon apetite'

   ____________________
  |                    |
  |     Bob Carter     | Kootenay Bay, BC, Canada
  |  bcarter@awinc.com | Zone 6b
  |____________________|


Imagine Whirled peas...

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