These 4 Tips Will GUARANTEE You Perfect Broccoli Heads!
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- In this video, I share 4 broccoli growing tips that have revolutionized the way I grow broccoli plants! Growing broccoli is challenging where I live because of wild temperature fluctuations which often causes broccoli bolting, but not anymore! These 4 tips will guarantee you perfect broccoli heads!
Broccoli is a member of the Brassica genus and the Mustard Family 'Brassicaceae.' They are very susceptible to temperature changes. Hard freezes can damage the broccoli florets, and prolonged warm temperatures, even moderate warmth, can cause bolting broccoli, which is when the broccoli heads become loose, tall, stringy, and flower and go to seed. These 4 broccoli tips can stop broccoli bolting and prevent cold damage. The end result is beautiful, perfect heads of broccoli!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Challenges Growing Broccoli
2:10 Tip #1: Start Broccoli Transplants
3:19 Tip #2: Planting Broccoli Early
7:28 Tip #3: Frost Protection
9:15 Tip #4: Using Shade Cloth
10:53 How To Harvest Broccoli Properly
13:00 Adventures With Dale
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#gardening #garden #gardeningtips #broccoli #brassicas
If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀TIMESTAMPS here:
0:00 Challenges Growing Broccoli
2:10 Tip #1: Start Broccoli Transplants
3:19 Tip #2: Planting Broccoli Early
7:28 Tip #3: Frost Protection
9:15 Tip #4: Using Shade Cloth
10:53 How To Harvest Broccoli Properly
13:00 Adventures With Dale
Seems like if you could just keep hoops up over where you grow your broccoli, you'll always be ready to cover with either shade cloth or frost covers. I am going to try this!
I will eventually do that. I need to finish putting hoops on all my beds. It is a long process.
@@TheMillennialGardener need a good size hoop to go over broccoli plants too!
This is what I am doing this year in GA 8a. I have not planted out the broccoli though because I have seen that they can get frost damage even with covers. I believe I will put the broccoli and cabbage out in January along with some others I have going and we'll see how it goes. I did get great cabbage last year though and just planted them when they came out in the stores. Frankly I think it comes down more to nutrients than timing. They have to grow good and they have to grow fast.
In pinehurst nc, I planted my transplants in july, with shade cloth in a partial shade spot. worked great for cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
Wow, that is early 😮 Very interesting!
In your area, try Green Magic variety. My plants were put in ground Feb 17th and grew up to (measured with tape measure)10 inch heads with more broccolli collected from the side shoots than from the original head. I diligently watched the weather and covered the plants when frost freeze predicted after they were transplanted. There were 4 plants I did not cover and they were lost due to the freeze. I also monitored the heads for any evidence of looseness and monitored the soil temp with a temperature prob when the weather started getting hotter. I would water thoroughly when I was afraid the ground temp would might get too hot. The cold water soil soak helps to also prolong bolting. Just wanted to share the great success I had with these broccoli plants I purchased 3rd week in Feb. from the Farm store located in Tabor City, NC.Columbus County It was my first time ever producing broccoli in the spring. Love your videos and all your great information.
I haven’t experimented with a lot of varieties. Maybe 4 or 5. I usually grow the earlier maturing types. Maybe I’ll try other kinds next fall. I have to start my seeds soon for the spring crop. It’ll be too warm if we wait much longer. It’s hard to believe!
I have heard this about green magic but didn't have great success. I am still a relative gardening newbie especially when it comes to broccoli. They have moved us into zone 9 which may help explain some of it. I have had better luck with artwork which produces multiple small heads or side shoots. I would love to be able to produce something a little larger though.
I’ve got broccoli growing in my raised beds right now in December in central New Jersey. I covered the bed with small hoops, then greenhouse plastic (6mm) with a planket over top of that at night. I remove that during the day, and on rainy days over 40 degrees I fold the plastic back. It’s been a big experiment but so far they are growing bigger and I’m hoping to have broccoli in January. We’ll see!
I bet that’ll work. Keeping the hard frosts off them goes miles to keeping them healthy. It doesn’t look like there will be any horrible freezes for the rest of the year at least. Very cold right now all week, for sure, but nothing extreme.
You always have such great practical ideas to help us gardeners. One thing I might add is that there are some broccoli such as Green Magic that is a bit more heat tolerant than others. Ive had good luck with it.
I've tried Sun King, which is supposed to be more heat tolerant, but it didn't go great for me. However, I didn't use these tips, since it was years ago before I figured them out. I'm going to give it another try this spring, too!
Ive had good luck with Green Magic here in FL. With your tips, it would probably be even better!@@TheMillennialGardener
I run sun king on my late spring and early fall, they seem much more heat tolerant as far as not rapid flowering, I’m in charlotte nc. I like to grow other varieties for the earliest and latest planting, when there is less heat stress
Me too. The heads on green magic were humongus and I havested more side shoots, equal to twice the amount of the original heads.
Helpful. I live just north of you and these tips will really make a difference.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
This year was my first successful broccoli harvest here in Ohio (6b). I grew the sun king hybrid that's more tolerant of the heat of summer and was able to get a good head and tons of offshoots here in mid June. I was completely shocked. Plus, it kept on making offshoots over and over - by the time I cut it down it looked like a big tree, it was nuts!
I tried that variety where I live, but it's too hot here even for Sun King unprotected. Shade cloth is the answer, though. It works miracles.
Awesome information MG! Thank you 😊👍👍
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Shade cloth has been a game-changer for me. Great tips!
Thank you!
Bless you for all these steps to grow nice broccoli. Here in northern Virginia we have even more erratic weather than you do, and in the spring the white flies are brutal. I've finally decided it's cheaper and less frustrating for me to buy organic broccoli from the farmers market. Thanks for the tips at any rate.
Thank you for the wonderful information!
You’re welcome!
Excellent tips thanks. I had a run of alien looking bolted cauliflower and broccoli heads. Went straight into the compost.
Thank you from California. I’ve raised a great a wonderful garden because of you. 🙏❤️
I'm so happy to hear that! Great job!
This was vety helpful, as I'm.going to be attempting to grow broocoli agaon kn the sprijg. Thank you !
You’re welcome. Definitely have shade cloth on hand to finish it.
Great information... Thanks 😊
You’re welcome!
Here in Moyock NC my broccoli did great! Thank you for all your tips and tricks.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thank you! Needed these tips right now in SC. Don't forget that the leaves are edible and a few added to a salad are great.
Broccoli plants are the same species as cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, etc. They're the same plant that simply express a different feature (flower, terminal bud, leaf, etc.).
Wish I lived in the Carolinas.... here in the Hoosier State, our growing seasons are much shorter then yours.
Great video. Thank you.
My plants are beautiful and 2 feet tall with tiny heads that are starting to flower. I started the seeds on March 3rd inside and moved them to the beds on April 5th in 8b. As soon as spring temps hit 80, I partially covered with shade cloth. I use a soaker hose system in 4x8 raised beds. I planted more broccoli than any other veggie. My only thought now is to plant late summer in the garden bed where my mustard and collards do so well. I thought doing broccoli in the totally controlled raised beds would be best...but it seems not. .
Glad I saw your video at this time. I'm in zone 9a in north central Florida and we've been having schizophrenic weather where last week was a high of 55 and a low of 42. We are heading into a week now that will be highs if 70 and lows of 60. I'll break out the shade cloth. I have a whole bed of broccoli that's about at the stage of flowering. It's my first time growing it. Thanks for the heads up!
You are doing an awesome job of learning the ropes of the southeastern NC growing area. Very difficult climate to master the art of good broccoli! Fall and mid summer planting are my new goto dor north carolina. Most of the pest problems have come and gone by July even here in the piedmont area (Hillsborough). I see no evidence of the famed cabbage moths on your plants either. Amazing work you do even if it takes a lot of effort. I can tell you are not one who gives up! Thanks for your videos...👍
It’s a shame so many people quit gardening in the middle of the summer. Fall gardening is a joy. The pests disappear, there is little to no diseases, the weather dies down, the sweating stops…it’s just so much easier. I hope gardening reclaims its place as a year round lifestyle and not just a spring hobby.
It will in due time if people want to eat fresh food. Thanks for the followup. I've enjoyed gardening in NC since I moved here in 1978. After living up north a 212 day gardening season was a welcome change. Now it's year round with a bit of extra effort. I'm learning a lot from your research and methods
Thanks, I’m on the way outside to cover them!!
You’re welcome!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for addressing the struggles in growing broccoli. I haven't yet nailed the timing for either spring or fall planting and with the ideas presented here, I think I may have better luck. I'm in southern Ontario and I started my fall broccoli too late. We have had a warm fall and no snow yet so my broccoli plants still look strong and robust but there are no heads. Not enough sun to trigger flowering.
These tips should give you much greater flexibility. You can get them in several weeks early, and if you have the weather heat up or cool down on you too quickly, you can also add a few weeks to your growing season. Threading that needle growing broccoli is tough, but if you're given 2-4 additional weeks on both sides of the season, it becomes a lot easier.
Pray your season last for your broccoli. Some people use blankets to cover. I did heavy pruning for flowers on Zucchini. It worked. 10 leaf max left on plant. For broccoli it's insect pollenated or flower bud pollination. Bon Chance Canada. I'm in Ct. USA zone 6b and here to learn.
Beautiful broccoli! I'm definitely going to use shade cloth now, here in South Florida no worries about frost but the warm days do cause them to bolt.
Shade cloth will make an enormous difference. It will work well for your spring and summer garden, too. You will be amazed how shade cloth improves the health of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
I just moved here from the Pacific Northwest, and I hadn't considered how tricky it will be to grow broccoli here. I appreciate your videos so much, and have learned quite a bit about growing locally. Heat, sandy soil, and weird temperature fluctuations are all new to me 😂
Thank you.
It’s a real learning curve here in the southeast, but once you get it figured out, it is a great place to grow food. You just have to mitigate our roller coaster extremes.
@@TheMillennialGardener I'm excited to know I will get lots of ripe tomatoes here 😆. The warm season is so short there, it's like Russian Roulette Gardner style. You've 100% convinced me on shade cloth, can't wait to set up next spring. 😉
They are beautiful 🙏❤️
Thanks!
Newbie here, love the info! Thank you! Question: what is “bolting”?
I was pleasantly surprised, but broc fresh from the garden is far tastier than broc from the supermarket. Well worth growing. Mine are looking good under frost cloth in Zone 6b/7a New York.
Thank you for this excellent video! Living in south Florida it is not easy to grow broccoli and so I have not even tried, but I am going to attempt it with your suggestions and I did purchase the green magic variety so we’ll see how it goes!
Shade cloth will be vital to your success. Even in the dead of winter, I would use shade cloth in your location to prevent the warm fronts from causing issues.
@@TheMillennialGardener that is definitely what I was thinking. Thank you!
Super cool! Ha very funny, i did exactly the same thing here in the arizona desert. Broccoli is growing great right now here. But i enjoy growing broccoli for the leaves more than the heads, though this year im hoping to see good heads form too! The leaves are extremely delicious and sweet. Thanks for another informative video 👍
You're welcome!
I've given up on broccoli in the spring. I plant in late summer and harvest in the fall in Upper Michigan.
Try it this way. Shade cloth is the key to successful broccoli. Start it early under frost cloth, finish it under shade cloth.
I live in East Texas zone 8b-9 That's how we have to grow our broccoli down here. But I have grown Green Magic Broccoli for 2 years it makes a big head grows good here. It's a hybrid variety.
Hmmmm. In MI late season brassicas are relatively easy. Spring/Summer not so much, esp with insect damage. Based on your advice, i'll try to time harvesting broccoli and relatives to coincide with transplanting tomatoes in the ground! Calculate time from then.
Howdy MG!👋 Central Texas zone 8a...I've never had my broccoli bolt. I plant mine under shade cloth. I also grow varieties recommended for Central Texas. We see upper 70s to mid-80s throughout November; however, my broccoli never bolts.
Dale's outfit is nice!🐕
The shade cloth is key. Direct strong sun can really do a number on them if they’re beginning to form heads. Dale has a more extensive wardrobe than I do.
@@TheMillennialGardener 😄
Great tips! What variety do you plant?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Would you say these tips will work for Brussel Sprouts also?
You're welcome! Broccoli and brussels sprouts are the exact same species, just a different cultivar that expresses different traits. What works with broccoli will work for bruseels sprouts, but brussels sprouts take a lot longer to develop, which makes them so much more difficult to grow. You need to maintain ideal conditions much longer.
very smart
Thanks!
youre welcome, we also have cauliflower under the high tunnel, I sure hope these come to fruition. Next line of business...the container fig tree. Guess we need to put it in garage and wait till med winter to prune and root prune?@@TheMillennialGardener
You sir, are welcome! @@TheMillennialGardener
awesome brocolli, our florets are only an inch wide. Hmm
Once they begin forming, they grow quickly. Keep an eye on them and make sure it doesn't get too warm or too cold. Protect them and you'll see nice heads.
Slugs got at mine 🤯
Thanks for this video. I guess it is all about the timing. I have harvested a few heads recently but I do have a couple questions. As my broccoli was growing, I kept dead heading the sprouts coming out at each leaf. Should I be doing this? I figured it would allow the broccoli to grow one larger head. Also, some of my plants are about 3 feet tall and the ones you have are much smaller. I appreciate any feedback you can give. I am in NC as well.
It's all about timing if you have a climate where broccoli can grow unprotected. Most of us don't have the climate, so even if we nail the timing, broccoli can be threatened and you'll get subpar results. Shade cloth and frost cloth can protect against these problems. I do not prune my broccoli. As I show in the video, I harvest the main head, then let the side shoots form smaller florets. In a few weeks, you'll have a second harvest of florets.
Enjoy your videos. What is your recommendation for best places to buy seeds? I know you covered this in one of your videos but I can’t find it.
I love your channel and seeing another millennial interested in gardening!
Do you think a cold box would do the same as the covers? Already bought cold boxes.
Thanks! I appreciate it! You mean a cold frame? Yes, but you would need to probably vent it during the day to stop heat buildup.
Yeah that’s the one! This is good to know. Thanks!
I would bet that strategy would work for Napa cabbage too. My cabbage went straight to seed this year. I was very dissapointed!
Believe it or not, broccoli and cabbage are the same species. They’re just different varieties that express different traits. Cabbage is very prone to bolting all the same, so these tips should work identically.
Question #2. Do we need to start Broccoli seeds on a heat mat under the lights indoors?
Thank you again. Great Channel.
You don't need to, but it can speed things up. Broccoli seeds will germinate faster around 70-75 degrees. The problem is, you may lose germination with hot soil in the 80's, so you may need a heat mat thermostat. If your heat mat gets too warm, it could be a problem. A lot of heat mats on full blast are designed to germinate tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc., and broccoli likes it a little cooler, so a thermostat is a good investment.
I live in Camden SC. Should I use Med or Heavy duty row covers for frost protection for growing late winter broccoli. Thank you.
I am binge watching your videos and I have a question about broccoli. How do I keep the tiny white flies from becoming an infestation. I wind up pulling up my plants as soon as I pick the heads. If I don't, I wind up having a cloud of these tiny white flies when I enter the garden. I am in NJ. Any suggestions?
Thanks for this video. I'm in St Louis and have had a problem with my broccoli forming heads at all. I just get big leaves and sometimes Harlequin bugs later. Do you have any ideas on what the problem is and/or what to do ? Thanks.
What's probably happening is the plants are bolting before the heads form. The heads come last. You need to keep the plants healthy and in optimal condition for the heads to form. Also, make sure they're getting enough phosphorus and potassium, not just nitrogen. If you follow these tips and maintain the proper climate broccoli wants to grow in, they will produce heads.
I have hoops over my trio planter from dollar tree, it covered by a frost cloth that you recommend. The soil is frozen solid 😢 I added leaves around them and 2 jugs of water
Frost cloth will only keep frost off the plants. It will not stop a hoop house from freezing through. Plants generate no warmth like a human body does, so if all you do is cover your plants, they'll freeze right through. You need to add add something that warms the air under the cover if you want any warmth at night. If you're going to rely on the sun to warm up the inside of the hoop house to prevent the soil from freezing, you're going to need to use a cover that actually traps heat. Most row covers
🥦
My broccoli is in a repurposed stock tank partially under the shade of a pecan tree. The plants look great, but the heads are just now emerging, probably because the tree is almost defoliated. I have had several nights in the upper 20s with no cover. I planted Russian Kale, red-leafed Mizuna, and Tatsoi in the same tank. Do you think they support each other when the temps go low?
Planting under a canopy can keep frost off, which helps a lot. There are many factors that will change how plants react to temperatures. Overhead cover, if they've been hardened off by gradually decreasing temperatures first, the duration of the freeze, etc. all can mean as much or more than the absolute lowest temperature. The only way to maximize your chances of not taking damage is to cover them. As heads form, they will be more susceptible to damage.
Meanwhile we started broccoli in April and it's only now an inch tall and has 4 true leaves in June lol
I never had any luck with broccoli. Heads not forming, bugs (aphids) and what not. I am not sure how the farms do it.
What weight of frost cloth is good for USDA zone 8?
It isn’t based on zone. It is based on how hard the freeze is going to be and how much light you need to get through. Thicker fabric means less light. If you’re going to be taking it off often, thicker is better. If you’re leaving it on all the time like on a hoop house, you may find 1.5-2oz fabric too strong and will block too much light if your sun is weak. You need to strike a balance.
Broccoli is simply one of those vegetables that I will never attempt to grow again, and only buy in the grocery store.
I’ve tried growing a dozen broccoli plants over several seasons, in both a sunny location and in a partial shade bed, and none of them produced significant enough sized heads to justify growing them. With just one head per plant, it’s simply too much of a waste of time, garden space, effort, and money. Plus, I’ve only actually harvested a single head of broccoli. The broccoli plants I grew had such small and tiny heads that I didn’t think they were ripe, and suddenly the small heads started spreading out and going to seed rather than getting larger.
I’ve had the exact same results with cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, too. However, the first time I ever tried growing Brussels sprouts, I bought a four pack of seedlings from a local nursery, and had a huge production of those, so I bought another packet of brussels sprouts seeds during this year’s Black Friday sales and will give it one more try this spring.
What you’re describing is just the natural process of figuring out how to grow things. These plants come from rocky European cliff sides. You have to modify your climate to get them to grow here.
Here is a fact that will blow your mind: broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts are the same plant. They’re the same species. Exactly the same. They’re cultivars developed by humans breeding them to express different plant parts. Broccoli is the flower, cabbage is the terminal bud, brussels sprouts are the lateral leaf buds. You’re struggling with them all because they’re all the same plant.
If you employ the tips in this video, you’ll see results. Try it. And if you make the effort to fine tune it, you will eventually succeed.
Every time I plant out my broccoli starts, I come out a day or two later and they've been almost completely devoured and I haven't yet determined the culprit. I've tried Sluggo Plus to no avail. Do you have issues with pests eating the early starts?
No, because I have a fenced in garden and treat them with Spinosad when bugs are out. If you have problems, cover them with insect netting. That will stop 90+% of issues.
Will the side shoots bolt and give seed?
They could if it's too warm and sunny.
I live in a fairly mild growing zone in the PNW.
I planted mature broccoli seedlings, in beautiful soil, at the right time for my growing zone. They’re growing and I have broccoli heads growing.
My problem is the bugs, they are devouring the leaves!
I tried Neem oil and soap when that didn’t work, BT.
I’m hesitating to use pyrethrin because I still have bees and ladybugs around.
Any suggestions?
Thank you
Neem oil doesn’t do a thing beneficial in my experience. It just ruins the taste of the food and makes everything stink and burn in the sun. I recommend using a real insecticide such as Spinosad. If you spray once a week with organic Spinosad and cover your plants with insect netting, you should not have any significant pest problems with brassicas.
@@TheMillennialGardener
Thank you 😊
I wonder if we can wrap the florets with something? We have abunch growing on our deck under a polytunnel, so far so good but here in Vancouver BC zone 8B,,unsure of the cold
I've had good luck covering them with bunched up gift tissue paper.
Bunch it up loosely and cover like a shower cap, with layers of air pockets insulating it should keep the frost off.
Won't work in windy or really rainy situations, but it's usually clear when it gets that cold here.
I'm in sw Arkansas, and we get down in the teens most winters.
Not very cold here yet, and mine haven't even started to head up this year.
Scraps of frost cloth would probably work, too.
Thankyou Anita, thats a great idea. Mine are only 1- 1.5 inches in diameter, we have a pollytunnel over the containers on deck, I'm thinking shade cloth pieces? Or those little material drawstring bags for now?@@anitamurphy2454
Some people take the leaves, bunch them up over the heads and stick a rubber band on them to hold them tightly. That's more popular with cauliflower to reduce the sun from coloring the heads.
good idea too. ThankYOU :)@@TheMillennialGardener
@@TheMillennialGardener yep. I've heard that, too.
My problem with broccoli is pests. What about a video on that
Cover the plants with insect netting, spray occasionally with spinosad. That should pretty much take care of it. Brassicas don't require pollination, so there is no reason to grow them out in the open without netting.
It’s the Brussels sprouts I struggle with😢
Brussels sprouts are the same exact species as broccoli. They're the exact same plant, just a different cultivar that expresses different parts of the same plant. These tips will work the same on brussels sprouts. The challenge with them is they have a very long days to maturity, so you need to maintain those conditions for many months, a lot longer than you need to with broccoli. You must be diligent.
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you❤️
I use the dark plankets, can I use those and leave it on in daytime?
No. They don’t let light in. A day or two won’t hurt but no longer than that. They should be removed daily.
@@TheMillennialGardener I thought so, just making sure. We’ll be OOT two weeks, need to get white. Thank you for all you do. 🥦
Does this also apply to cauliflower and other brassicas or is each different?
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts are all the exact same species, so this would apply to all of them.
Thanks, hug Dale for me!
My brother lost a dog a little smaller than Dale to a gator. Do not become complacent around gators. They love to eat dogs! And they are extremely fast! You wouldn’t think so, but they are.
Yikes. That’s terrible. They must’ve been very close to the water’s edge.
Bring the smaller dog to Florida and an Owl will get it too.
I live in Southwest Florida.
Gators regard dogs as lunch. At a retriever trial one of the dogs met an untimely death from a gator. Not a small dog. Keep Dale far from them. In Florida, any lake or canal or river will harbor the reptiles. They are more dangerous than they look. They will occasionally take a human. There look lazy and harmless, but are fast and lethal. If people are stupid enough to feed them, they are extra dangerous. Beware.
@@kelliwebb2870 So you know and have heard stories ?
Oof
I already direct sowed all my broccoli seed not realizing how difficult it was gonna be here in South Alabama 💀
You will benefit from a cover if it is going to hard frost. Our low the next 5 nights varies between 29-37 and I’m not taking any chances. They’re all under 1oz fabric for the next 5 days.
Do you feel it's worth it though? Considering how cheap potatoes, onions, peppers and broccoli are in stores I can't justify them
Yes. It is always more expensive to grow vegetables than buying them in a store. I don’t do this to save money. I do it for the dramatic mental and physical health benefits and the quality of the produce.
@@TheMillennialGardenerAbsolutely! You wouldn't have much of a gardening channel if you did things the easy way 😂
I've had 1 good head out of what seems like it's out of 1000,000
I didn't realize it was such a pain in the arse to grow
It’s like anything else: it’s easy when you know what to do, difficult when you don’t. They’re very easy once you get it down. Almost nothing we grow is native to where we grow it, so everything has a learning curve.
I grow them then I get only super big leaf
It takes awhile for them to grow. They need more time but will eventually form heads. Make sure they’re getting enough phosphorus and potassium and not just nitrogen.
They don't head up well if grown without enough direct sunlight in case you're in a shady location
i like brocolli butt they take up so much space
My plants are only 10 inches apart. I’ve planted them as close as 8 inches with good results. They don’t need much room.
🤎
I forgot to put a heater in my greenhouse and after those heavy winds and low temps we had the other day, all my tomato and pepper seedlings got frost bite. 😢
My broccoli, lettuce, and carrots are happy though.
Ok. In parking lot .
Yod fa