Broccoli

[dave45]

Previous attempts at broccoli have been disappointing... small heads, weak plants etc not justifying the garden space... but this year I tried a different variety (Olympia F1) - just had a head the size of a football! Previous variety was autumn calabrese I think. Trying that too.

But of course its all coming at once now - hope it freezes well !

[grahamhobbs]

I think most of the F1 varieties will give a decent sized head. But it is not just the size of the initial head but how good the following spears are. I like variety Sakura, it gives a nice head, then after a space of a few weeks will go on producing good spears for 3 or 4 months.

[bonniethomas06]

Hmm, I am finding it very hard not to be resentful with all this talk about huge broc heads!

First mine bolted for the sky and produced about 10 heads the size of a particularly anaemic bit of purple sprouting. (as it has been soooo hot and soooo dry).

Then little black bugs got on the heads, and sucked all of the moisture out, turning them yellow. So we find ourselves with precisely NO broccoli this year. I am gutted, because I LOVE broc!

Sigh.... good luck with preserving it all. Incidently I did this one year when I had a bumper crop and it freezes really well, but you have to break it into smallish florets and blanch it first - being sure to dunk the blanched heads in icy water first, otherwise they keep on cooking and the little mini-floret bits all fall off when you eventually come to cook it.

[Gem]

I love broc but I also hate it. Love eating it, hate growing it. I think my soil must be a bit low on potash because it never does better than a giant plant with scruffy little 'heads'.

I blame the damn butterflys. I finally managed to get it fed up with a load of nutrients and the cabbage whites came along looking all pretty and bam. Caterpillars everywhere and broc on its way out..

Needless to say I didn't grow it this year..

Sigh..

[battybird]

At least you had some with heads...we left the allotment in the tender care of my father in law a couple of years ago while we were away. Came back to find he had pulled up all the purple sprouting broc as "it wasnt doing anything. only had small discoloured heads!!"...it was coming on nicely when we left! He did grow veg previously but counts broc as exotic...only really likes carrots, onions and cabbage! He meant well!! Oh and he pulled up the asparagus as he thought it was a weed!
Left it with my mum this year and it all survived!

[irishwillow]

I have grown the olympia one this year and have harvested lots of very good size heads. my daughter is gobsmacked that it looks like shop stuff ! cheek of it! tastes much better! my little purple sprouting plants coming on well now too so will hopefully have plenty all next spring! yum yum!

[dave45]

yes I chopped into little florets and blanched before freezing.... but will I lose on crunchiness when I come to use it? If it passes on crunchiness I'm going to grow loads more :-)

Not sure just yet what follow-on florets will grow - but yes it is a valid consideration... no sign of butterfly invasion (yet)... last year cabbage-white caterpillars trashed my peppers in the greenhouse so they don't just stick to brassicas !

btw - what is the latest I can get away with planting a new batch? ISTR the broccoli doesn't mind frost

[irishwillow]

I think you will be ok sowing some now as they are quick o come up this time of year, the purple sproutin is def frost proof...not sure about the calabresse, I have only just planted out some baby ones so fingers crossed! worth a try as we seem to get better autumn weather here then summer! good luck and happy munching!
ps iy does suffer crunchy wise a bit but still has the flavour!

[grahamhobbs]

I do not think there are more than a couple of overwintering calabrese varieties, Aquiles is one of them.

[irishwillow]

thanks! I will look out for them..but awful hard to get any diff seeds here..will have to send away!