A harvesting mistake?

In an earlier post I said I'd cut the first broccoli heads and that the plant would then shoot out more spears. I think I may have done that incorrectly.

I left one plant just as it was - no cutting at all (on the left in the picture)- just to see what happened and it would seem that there was no need for me to cut the others to bring on more spears as the one that's left is doing ok as it is and looks as though it's going to break into tenderstems by itself.

Oh well - at least I got to eat some early broccoli with the added bonus that I'll be getting more spears in the near future as can be seen from the picture on the right.

Exciting times

For me, this is one of the most exciting times in the veggie garden because I can see the fruits of my labour.

In an earlier post about brassicas, I was waxing lyrical and said by Autumn I hope to be tucking into some great produce. Well by the looks of things, I think I will be harvesting the first of my broccoli in a week or so.



I'm not that keen on normal big broccoli - to me its too much like eating a bunch of immature flowers which, of course, is exactly what they are! I grow the "tenderstem" type which has long edible tender stems (as the name implies) attached to a smaller floret-sized head which, as far as I'm concerned, cook up much better than the normal kind. It also has the advantage that once you've picked the main centre stem, it breaks out into lots of extra stems which go on producing for ages providing you pick them regularly.

Brassicas Galore

I meant to do this post back on the 6th June but my pumpkin troubles took precedence.

Turned out quite well anyway, as I just compared the two photos of my transplanted brassicas - 1st taken on 6th June, 2nd taken yesterday - and I am really pleased with how much growth they've put on in just 12 days. Amazing what a little warmth and water will do.

If things go on this way, my concerns about the garden being too shady to grow decent crops will have been unwarranted and come the Autumn, I will be tucking into tenderstem broccoli, red and green cabbages.