[Thompson24]

Hi guys

this is my first year growing anything.  I have some brocoli now which the centres, although very small look exactley like you get in the shops.  How do i harvest them?

Do I leave them to get bigger?
Do I cut out the centre and leave the rest of the plant
Or do I cut the lot down?

Sorry for the daft question but it doesnt say anything on the packet?

[Goosegirl]

Cut when the heads are big but watch they don't start to show any signs of yellowing in the centres as they will be getting ready for flowering. Cut the main head off with some stalk and small leaflets and get the pan on! Leave the plant in as it should produce side shoots which will look like separate broccoli florets rather than a whole head of them. Again, harvest before they think about flowering. Eventually no more side shoots will form and you can pull the plants up.
Fresh own-grown green broccoli (aka calabrese) is far superior to anything in the shops and tastes divine! I grow Corvet from Robinson's Giant onion place as I think it has the best flavour. Enjoy!!! 

[titch]

glad i saw this as mine are about ready, well a couple of them so one with the roast at the weekend and one with somehting else in theweek

[ssray]

*!!! pulled mine up and cut the heads off, tasty though
Ray