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What to do with this broccoli?

Jonathan 2112Jonathan 2112 Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg

Hi All,

I'll confess to being a real novice! Put this broccoli in lat year and forgot about it - it now seems to have produced heads but also looks like it is now bolting.

What shall I do? Harvest all the heads and then chop it back? All help and suggestions most welcome!

Thanks in advance.

 

http://s28.postimg.org/ok5r7yl4d/IMG_3855.jpg

 

 

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,023

    Looks like Purple Sprouting broccoli. Doesn't make dense heads, makes shoots with purple flowers. Pick the shoots and eat them, simmered for a few minutes, add butter. Pick off the flowering shoots, it should make new purple ones.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Have a feast! You have to pick nearly every day now the warmer weather has come. Definitely cut off all the flowers or it will think its job is done.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,023

    I meant to say "shoots with purple buds, yellow flowers"! Eat buds with some stem, remove flowers.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Jonathan 2112Jonathan 2112 Posts: 2

    Thanks folks, rwally apprxiate that!

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995

    They may have gone bitter by now.  Have a taste prior to cooking.

    Utah, USA.
  • Reluctant_GardenerReluctant_Gardener Posts: 284

    Eat it. If it's bitter let it flower and eat some of the flowers, leave some for the bees

     

    Sauted in olive oil with salt and pepper. 

    Once it has finished flowering and seeding if you're collecting eat the centre core of the stems

  • willow9willow9 Posts: 2

    So I have harvested and eaten all my purple sprouting broccoli, now do I dig up the plant and sow new ones next year? or leave the chopped off stem in the ground for it to sprout and grow again? 

     

    Thanks image

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Leave the whole plant, it may, just may, give you another crop; but eat the shoots sooner, don't leave them until they flower.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,023

    Must be a different variety from mine. I sow in spring, transplant in June. It grows all summer, not making shoots or flowers, then it shoots in early spring, lots, and I eat it in early spring until it goes to flower when the weather gets warm.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • willow9willow9 Posts: 2

    thanks Welshonion, the shoots were quite spindly, ate lots of them but left some thinking they would get bit bigger, just went longer and thinner then went to flower. 

     

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