[wales1000]

Hi, sorry I think I am being * stupid here.  This is our first year of growing veg, and I am not sure what is happening to our brocilli!  I would be most grateful if someone could please tell me what I am supposed to do!

the first picture is of a brocilli growing which has grown flowers and the head has spread outwards and the second one is the head with shoots growing off it.  Could someone please tell me whether I am supposed to have cut off the main head by now, so the rest could grow or whether I have totally messed this up?

thanks.

[Rangerkris]

Did you get the seed with gyo mag by any chance.

[wales1000]

no i didn't i got them from wilkos

[DD.]

They definately should have been cut earlier. What variety are they & how did you raise them?

[mumofstig]

The first one looks a bit loose, like it's bolted a bit, but pick and eat what you can.
The second one is as it should be, pick the main head and eat it, and the smaller ones will develop a bit more before you eat them

[wales1000]

The first one looks a bit loose, like it's bolted a bit, but pick and eat what you can.
The second one is as it should be, pick the main head and eat it, and the smaller ones will develop a bit more before you eat them

so if i pick the main head then, then the rest should grow ok then should it?  sorry I am no good at this!

[mumofstig]

The first one looks a bit loose, like it's bolted a bit, but pick and eat what you can.
The second one is as it should be, pick the main head and eat it, and the smaller ones will develop a bit more before you eat them

so if i pick the main head then, then the rest should grow ok then should it?  sorry I am no good at this!

Yes, but after the main head you will only get small florets to pick, the ones you can already see growing in your picture. They will just get a little bit bigger, not much, just a little bit

[wales1000]

The first one looks a bit loose, like it's bolted a bit, but pick and eat what you can.
The second one is as it should be, pick the main head and eat it, and the smaller ones will develop a bit more before you eat them

so if i pick the main head then, then the rest should grow ok then should it?  sorry I am no good at this!

Yes, but after the main head you will only get small florets to pick, the ones you can already see growing in your picture. They will just get a little bit bigger, not much, just a little bit

I see, ok well thanks for your help :-) how is it when you buy brocilli in the shops the heads are really big, but these ones are so small?

[mumofstig]

Did you plant sprouting broccoli? What you buy as broccoli in the shops is in fact calabrese.

[SnooziSuzi]

my broccoli has one medium/small head and lots of side shoots; can't remember the variety but it's not a sprouting type
 
had some of the sprouts in a stir fry tonight and delicious they were too!  I defy anyone to take a blood test for iron after eating allotment grown broccoli - it would positively attract a magnet!!

seriously; mine has a small to medium sized head at the centre and lots of smaller 'branches' which are great for individual portions, but the one's you get in the shop have been fed chemical enhancers to become as big as they are!  they're not really as nature intended, whereas your GYO one's will be :happy:

[Sue33]

Generally with broccoli you get the main head, and then the shoots around the sides are the broccoli spears, try to pick them before you get any yellow showing  main head first then spears.......