Broccoli questions from first-timer

I'm all excited about my first-ever broccoli crop, which seems to be doing beautifully! I think I'm about ready to harvest my first head, and wondered, when do you know it's time? I'm guessing the flavor is best if you don't pick it too soon, and obviously you want it to grow as long as possible, but I don't want to lose it by waiting too long. The head has no flowers yet, but it just yesterday started to look a little, well, looser? Not as tightly compacted? So I'm thinking it's time, but don't want to jump the gun on this!

Also, I've read about broccoli heads "buttoning" after a cold snap. Is this common? What sorts of temperatures trigger it? And how do you know it's happened? And can you still eat the buttoned head?

Thanks for any help!

1. Broccoli can be picked as soon as the heads are big enough for use. Obviously you get a larger yield if you wait until just before the yellow flowers start peeking out. Flavor is optimum just when heads began to get a little more loose due to the buds separating. Drop off is not dramatic and they are perfectly good even with a few flowers showing.

2. Buttoning occurs when the plant is stunted early. It usually happens in the seedling stage. Causes can be cold damage, but most often from poorly cared for or overage plants. It is amazing to see folks buying cauliflower and broccoli plants at the garden centers that have already buttoned. When you transplant you need a young tender plant. If it has started a head in a tray or little pot, that is all that you ever going to get. They are very unforgiving.
Fall crop is winding down now.

I have to admit, I like my Broccoli when it is young and tender, would rather pick 2/3 smaller heads than one really large, but you will soon learn this for yourself with practice, it is a matter of taste if you like larger heads or smaller ones, sometimes I even just cut off a few Spears if I only want a little amount, the parts we eat are actually the flowering seed heads, so dont let it get too yellow before you start to harvest, that is a sign that it is ready to flower and open, setting seeds, you can freeze some if you have to harvest it in a glut of heads, break it into little spears and blanch in boiling water for 1 min, then under cold running water to stop the proses, drain and pack into the amounts you will require for cooking, you can freeze it in a flat tray before you package so the spears dont all stick together while freezing, easier to remove just the right amount. good luck and well done for getting your first crop, hope you go on to try even more veg. WeeNel.

Cut the main head at a sharp 45 degree angle with a sharp sterile knife. I have several I'm planning to harvest, I'll see if I can get you a decent picture. :)

Then watch for tasty tender side shoots!

Thanks, Farmerdill, for the info. I hadn't realized that buttoning happened with small, immature plants--I thought it could happen anywhere along the growth of the plant.

And thanks to you, too, WeeNel, for the harvesting and storage tips!

And now, off to harvest my broccoli head!

Actually, that depends on the variety.......some of the newer hybrids don't give side shoots, which is a rip! Once you harvest, you might want to side dress with compost to encourage those shoots..........good stuff.

True, but a home gardener is not likely to get hands on one of those as they are designed for commercial producers. I trial quite a few broccoli cultivars, but I have not seen one of the non-side shoot broccolis offered by a home garden vendor. While one should always pay atttention to the characteristics of a cultivar before planting, that one is not a major area of concern for a home gardener.

I see some side shoots just starting from this plant, and my 5 other plants are heading up nicely. My one head today won't go very far, but I'm so excited to taste it!

Edited to add, this particular one is De Cicco, which does produce side shoots--I can see them! The other 5 are unknowns I inherited, so I don't know for sure what they'll do, but they were from a 6-pack of nursery seedlings, so hopefully they'll keep going for a while.


This message was edited Jan 7, 2008 5:27 PM

Ah, thanks for clarify Farmerdill............:)

DeCicco does not produce a prize size central head, but it does produce copious amounts of side shoots. It is essentaill y in the class of spouting broccolis. Just keep those side shoots cut and you will have a long yielding plant. In this area a nursery pack would be Early Dividend or Packman. Both develop nice central heads and follow with side shoots, tho considerably less in number than DeCicco.

Sounds like I've got a lot to look forward to, then! That head of DeCicco might not have been big, but it's the tastiest broccoli I think I've ever eaten. And, I'm having to fight my kids for it--they like it as much as I do!

I think this one's a keeper!

ROFLMAO!! I want victor to see this, he's hasslin me about my broccoli article.........kids do to like fresh homegrown broccoli LOL

Well, but I may be the only parent on the planet who has ever uttered the phrase (and I swear this is true):

"No, you can't have more broccoli until you finish your pizza!"

And that was just with store-bought! :)

You are doing a great job! LOL

I grew a variety called Flash last year, and the side shoots just never stopped coming.

My Grand kids also love Broccoli, when they were really just starting to eat all different veg, we told them they were tree's that would give you big fat muscles like superman, they just ate it all up. wonderful greens to add to any child's diet. good luck with your first crop. WeeNel.