broccoli advice needed

[daugen]

[ I believe you find the fall crop better.[/QUOTE]

because of cooler temps? If I plant September 1 here, and harvest in late October, hmmmm never done that, thanks.
what else should I be planting in early Sept? Eastern PA.

 

[farmgirl19]

I always plant squash for the fall garden too. Not sure exactly when you'd plant, up there, but probably end of Aug-first of Sept.

I plant Swiss Chard in the fall, but harvest it most of the winter and spring, so don't think it would be an option where winters are harder.

 

[milkman636]

Your description of soil sound similar to mine. I set two apple trees last Sunday and watered them in good, but didn't stake them. On Monday we had 60+ mph winds and I was quite relieved to find them still standing and cemented in the ground when I got home from work.

I grow the pacman variety broccoli in a brown clay type soil here in Michigan. It is classified as a type of Marlette Loam. It is pliable and workable early in the season and then gets hard to work once it dries. When I first moved here I was less that hopeful about my soil but it has proven to be productive. Mid-June is about the latest practical planting time for straggler plantings to be able to set roots. Like others I keep the area clean of any types of weeds or mulch.

I set my broccoli plants in mid to late May (depending on freeze likelihood) at about 8-10" tall. The plants will get around knee high and a foot across and produce one beautiful first head. Then they continue to bush out a little and produce generous side cutting until frost hits in October. To keep the side cuttings larger I'll cut off any growth that doesn't look like what I want to see. After a couple years you'll sorta learn through observation what to look for as it grows.

Based on what I see at the family dinner table, broccoli rates near to the favorite crops from the garden. It trails the watermelon and sweet corn, but runs neck and neck with the marketmore cukes, and sugar snap peas for number three. I find it hard to believe that there are people who do not love fresh broccoli from the garden.

 

[J C green]

When harvesting your brocolli, cut the stems at a Steep angle so water doesnt sit on it. I was forgetful about this and have stem rot on a couple plants.

 

[daugen]

I appreciate all the good advice, and today was the day we picked our first broccoli heads.
That plus a few measly peas the grew will go into the steamer tonight. The heads had started to spread, even though
they weren't very big, so it was time to pick.

now I have to remember to lock the door in case there are any broccoli eating beagles roaming around...

also on the menu tonight will be that firm little bibb lettuce head. I gave it the Charmin squeeze and it was firm and ready.
The potatoes are going nuts, as usual, already one has blossoms, somehow they like our clay and rocks, and the strawberries are just starting to come in.
So, lettuce, radishes, broccoli and strawberries tonight. Now this is living large...

 

[daugen]

the lettuce was marvelously crunchy, clearly tasted "super fresh" but no unusual flavors.
The broccoli was physically pretty normal, but much more flavorful.
The radishes were hot, a little hard, probably should have been picked a week earlier, and are now headed to
a neighbor who loves anything hot. Spicy, peppery, but a clinging oniony flavor left in the mouth.
The strawberries were nothing short of divine. Intense strawberry flavor, not overly sweet, and very different
than "store bought". And they will bear all summer. What a treat.

I look at some of those pics and all I see are the weeds. Use to be a field until two years ago, and that field grass sure
wants to come back. We have a lot of beans that are just coming up, and we had to wait until they popped to do any weeding.
I can see I've got a lot of hoeing to do, but I enjoy it. Unfortunately I'm headed for a neck fusion in two days and pulling on a hoe is a big
no no. With the wife sick, those weeds are having the proverbial "field day".

not for too long...:smiley_aafz:

 

[Sonny580]

We got weeds because of all the everyday rains we been having and cant cultivate or weed in the mud!--have 5,500 onion plants needing weeded, 200 pounds more spuds to plant and several hundred mato,cabbage, pepper, and other plants to get into the ground! thanks; sonny580

 

[J C green]

Apparently, I may have a boron deficiency (not moron, no deficiency there). It looks like my cut stems have a small hole in the center that retains water, which causes the rotting. It is still great eating though. This only happens after the initial cut, and takes a while to develop. I have got all the big heads and several second and third cuts. I think it's almost over here.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/vegetables/broccoli.html

Here is some more info for you broccoli eaters.


jc