A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 NOW can I pick it?

June 16



June 20



My broccolli is having babies

So, when is the right time to pick?

judging solely on what i see in the store. . i would say that has a lot of growing still to do!

I don't know, it looks like it getting ready to open up to me, but wait for some more opinions before you cut it.

The florets should be tight. If they are starting to get loose, then it's time to pick. You can't always tell by the size of the head. Once the florets get loose, yellow blooms will soon follow and then it's too late.

Remember that broccoli is a cold weather crop. Heat can cause it to go to seed. The babies are a good thing. You can harvest them for a meal too. They will not come close to the size of the main head, but they're just as tasty.

Pick the big middle one - it looks ready - and leave the little ones to grow a bit longer.

Your broccoli is ready to pick. That particular plant won't get a whole lot bigger and as Par-G says it will open yellow flowers and then it'll go tough and won't have that crispness.
These smaller, loose heads on broccoli can happen for a number of reasons, but the main reason my own plantings have looked the same in the past is, i believe, a combination of insufficient soil moisture and not enough organic matter and nutrient in the soil. They tend to flower when a little too young and the flowers are smaller. Result is a small, loose and slightly tough clump of broccoli. I think i've got them sorted out for my next crop. Hope so. I love broccoli.

Good lookin plants! What variety is it?

John, the variety is Green Comet.

Wow that looks great, it's making my mouth water!

Looks pretty tasty! Did you eat it yet?

Well, they are about 20%bigger already, so I broke of a little one for a taste, no not like chicken, more like green beans. Definately tastes like green beans fresh from the vine.

I will be cutting the one pictured, it's getting a little loose, and I wouldn't want the fowers to pop and not be able to eat it.

And my brussel sprouts are starting now too, about the size of a popcorn seed.

Wow your nails are very clean for a gardener. LOL.

Mine are red from making strawberry jam today.

I noticed that too... mine are always the same color as the dirt..
I spend wayyyyyy too much
time in the garden...

Good lookin' broccoli... I still haven't found a spot for mine...

How many days from when you planted that til now?? Very curious???

You guys are something else, took ya long enough to notice, at least they aren't manicured. yukyuk.
The index finger is a little funny lookin, crushed it in my log-splitter.ow.

That's why I do the dishes, keeps my hands clean.

The plants were purchased in may, they had one set of leaves on them at that time, $14 for 36 plant flat, the ones I started from seed didn't turn out well, so I went for a more sure thing.

THe biggest head is getting looser, could that be from lack of water?, or is it time.

My daughter came out and looked at the broccili and said " yummy " so I broke off a small flowerette and she gobbled it right up, wanted another one. It's a start.