Broccoli bolting?

ericam 5/1/2012, 3:42 am

My turn for a dumb question...

I've seen a lot of talk about broccoli bolting, how do you tell if that has happened when it's young? My broccoli seedling looks very tall and I'm not sure if there's a problem as I've never grown it before!

Here's a pic, the top hat next to it is about 5" and it's nearly the same height.

Broccoli bolting? 9eda453b

givvmistamps 5/1/2012, 3:54 am

Bolting is a term used to describe the process where plants begin to flower, thereby often rendering them inedible due to bitterness. I think you just have a leggy seedling. Two things cause this: too much nitrogen in the soil, or too little light. It might be a good idea to get your soil tested for nitrogen and make sure the plant is in a sunny enough location. The following eHow links might help you figure out what to do:

http://www.ehow.com/info_8572470_do-broccoli-seedlings-tall-thin.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_4908012_save-leggy-broccoli-seedlings.html

ericam 5/1/2012, 4:34 am

Thanks Michelle, I think the problem might be heat as it gets plenty of light.

One of those links says they like temps between 60-70F whilst growing and it's still getting up to 25C (77F) some days and we've only just started getting these cooler temps so it's been warmer than what they recommend for the start of it's growing.

I might experiment and cut it back to the first true leaves like the link says and see what happens, it's not the end of the world if I lose it, it's only 1 square and I'm the only one who will eat broccoli anyway!

The cauliflower and broccoli sprouts that I planted a few weeks ago were looking a bit tall too so I treated them as though I was transplanting and dug them up and replanted them with the stem a bit lower in the soil. Now that it's cooling down they might do better than the first one.

**walshevak** 5/1/2012, 7:20 am

I think that broccoli looks about normal. Mine looked just like that when I transplanted them on 3/14 and look what I have now. 6 squares. Fortunately, I had some space saved for a pumpkin right in front. Pumpkin hasn't sprouted yet.

Broccoli bolting? Dscn0542

They just started forming heads big enough to have promise last week. Harvested some leaves so I could open up for the pole beans coming up on the back side of them.

Kay

Unmutual 5/1/2012, 7:33 am

When (most) plants bolt, you'll know it. They send up a super tall seed stalk front the center, and it's very discernible from what the vegetable normally looks like. I've never had a plant bolt without trying to look normal first(like with broccoli, mine have always put on a couple florets before bolting).

ericam 5/1/2012, 7:38 am

OK, you've changed my mind, I'll leave it alone and see what happens.

Guess I just expected the plant to stay very short so wasn't sure if I had a problem or not!

Thanks everyone!

quiltbea 5/1/2012, 2:52 pm

@ericam......Bocccoli grows quite tall with lots of leaves and in the center a head forms. When that head is from 4-6" across cut it out. Leave the plant. Small niblets will grow from the leaves around the center which are small and tender and tasty.

Broccoli bolting? 05-22-28

Above: Boccolli at different stages of growth.

Broccoli bolting? 06-21-11

Above: Broccoli a little bigger.

Broccoli bolting? 06-28-21

Above: Ripe head of broccoli.

Broccoli bolting? 06-28-22

Above: Small nibs growing all around the plant.

WolfHeart 5/1/2012, 3:43 pm

walshevak wrote:I think that broccoli looks about normal. Mine looked just like that when I transplanted them on 3/14 and look what I have now. 6 squares. Fortunately, I had some space saved for a pumpkin right in front. Pumpkin hasn't sprouted yet.

They just started forming heads big enough to have promise last week. Harvested some leaves so I could open up for the pole beans coming up on the back side of them.

Kay

Kay Those are scarry sized broccoli affraid

what do you feed them? Mine are doing better this year than last but it would take at leat three of mine to get close to the size of yours.....and I have heads on all but one of the nine i planted.

Nice looking broccoli!!!

**walshevak** 5/1/2012, 4:32 pm

WolfHeart wrote:
walshevak wrote:I think that broccoli looks about normal. Mine looked just like that when I transplanted them on 3/14 and look what I have now. 6 squares. Fortunately, I had some space saved for a pumpkin right in front. Pumpkin hasn't sprouted yet.

They just started forming heads big enough to have promise last week. Harvested some leaves so I could open up for the pole beans coming up on the back side of them.

Kay

Kay Those are scarry sized broccoli

what do you feed them? Mine are doing better this year than last but it would take at leat three of mine to get close to the size of yours.....and I have heads on all but one of the nine i planted.

Nice looking broccoli!!!

They are in one of the new beds I made this year. Compost was black kow, black hen, black velvet mushroom, moo-nure, and dr. campbells soil amendment.

I would actually prefer to have less plant and more heads, but they are at least forming heads. I think this latest blend is really high in nitrogen. I have added some bone meal to the squares that have beets and radishes.

Kay

JustMe 5/2/2012, 11:50 pm

I've only seen broccoli growing once, so it's good to know that Kay has ginormous broccoli.

I planted some this year for the first time, so this is good to see what it will look like.

**walshevak** 5/8/2012, 9:13 pm

Here is the latest pics of the broccoli.

Broccoli bolting? Dscn0549

Kay

quiltbea 5/8/2012, 9:28 pm

What a beauty. I have to harvest mine smaller here in Maine or it would be starting to bolt before it got that size.

**walshevak** 5/8/2012, 10:18 pm

Been out of town for extended weekend. I am going to have to start harvesting and may have to freeze a few.

Kay

boffer 5/8/2012, 10:56 pm

That would have been in the running for biggest brassica in last year's contest!

givvmistamps 5/9/2012, 8:37 am

WOW!!!

Kay, I've never seen broccoli heads that big!!!

littlesapphire 5/9/2012, 9:34 am

Wow! Great looking broccoli!

I have a stupid question. How tall does broccoli get? I seem to remember it getting really tall when I had it in my old row garden, but I wasn't really paying much attention to my veggies back then, lol.

gregrenee88 5/9/2012, 10:14 am

walshevak wrote:I think that broccoli looks about normal. Mine looked just like that when I transplanted them on 3/14 and look what I have now. 6 squares. Fortunately, I had some space saved for a pumpkin right in front. Pumpkin hasn't sprouted yet.

They just started forming heads big enough to have promise last week. Harvested some leaves so I could open up for the pole beans coming up on the back side of them.

Kay

Wow...those look great! Ours are not that big, yet, but they are on their way.
Renee

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