Brocolli

I have just bought some start of brocolli for my son to put in our garden and I was wondering if anyonw has any suggestions or tips to watch for. How easy are they to grow? When do I harvest them?

Broccoli is super easy to grow. Does not like hot weather tho, so most of us have to grow it in the early spring late fall. If you have cool damp summers it should do O.K.. You cut the head as soon as it has sized up, but before any of the flowers open. ( You are eating a flower bud).

This message was edited Jun 7, 2007 4:31 PM

I just bought some starter broccoli plants and now i'm wondering if they will grow in a rocky garden area?

Rocks don't bother them as long there is soil. Rocky soil is fine for anything except root crops such as carrots. You can still grow them, but you have to work a little harder.

I agree with Farmerdill, rocks wont hurt the Broccoli, however here in Scotland I dig the hole and add some more soil, then the little plants, the extra soil give them a deeper/wider root area, add your rocky stuff on to to stabblise the plants, as they get bigger and top heavy, they dont like to rock about should it get windy, it also helps keep the roots cooler as stated, they will take a bit more water than flowers and if left too dry, they will go to flower/seed, they dont like a lot of heat, pick small tender, med or large, however, when they start to show a paler colour or a yellow tinge to the heads, they are about 1/2 weeks away from trying to flower. grow cabages the same way, they do like some plant food also, Good luck. WeeNel.

I have something called Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli, which I think is a broccoli raab. Is it grown like regular broccoli? It didn't come with instructions, and I'm not having much luck finding info specific to this type. Anyone grown it?
Margo

I have grown the purple sprouting broccoli, athough not an early variety. It grows like most other sprouting broccolis except that the flower heads are purple and almost as fine texture as cauliflower. It grows a large bush, with multiple sides shoots, 1-2 inches in diameter. I am not a fan of the sprouting broccolis but they are popular in Europe. You treat them as you would sideshoots from regular heading broccoli.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/119240/index.html

Thanks Farmerdill. Cooking it is no problem, I like it better that regular broccoli. So I just plant according to "regular" broccoli guidlines? It will be a fall crop here, I guess.
Margo

Yes it is a broccoli, not a broccoli raab. I f you are doing seeds, I would start them by the first of July for transplanting in August.

Oh, Okay. It was listed as a raab, so I guess I'd better find out more. It will join the ranks of my "different" veggies, with the red corn and the multiple colors of tomatoes. Thanks again!
Margo