Broccoli shoots?

[SLC]

I have already harvested the main head and am now getting little shoots.

How long will they produce? How big do they get?

This is what I have now - will they grow bigger?



When will they stop producing? I would like to pull the plants and put in another crop and hope to get more broccoli by October.

[applestar]

No, they won't get much bigger. I'd pick the largest side shoot. That one looks just about right. The smaller ones might grow a little bit more without unfurling -- depends on the temperature and soil moisture levels.

If you want to succession plant, it's probably a good idea to "pull" them now -- harvest the little side shoots as well as the tender leaves to use like kale. Basic formula is to sow/plant the fall crop by 90 days before the first average fall frost. Actual last day to plant would depend on the variety and days to maturity (+14 days for the "fall factor"). But broccoli can take light frost and you can also protect them with floating covers.

I say "pull" in quotes because I cut them off at ground level, apply compost to the bed, and sow/plant next crop off to the side. This way, the roots break down in the depths of the soil as organic matter.

[!potatoes!]

definitely go by how developed the florets are, not size.

[jal_ut]

Its hard to say how long they will produce. Some varieties produce the side shoots better than others. I just let mine go till frost. Not enough time for two crops here. Yes, they keep producing the side shoots. Packman is my favorite variety. I always let a few bloom for the bees. They love it for some late flowers.

As !potatoes! says, watch the size of the buds, not the size of the heads.

Oh, and don't forget the tender broccoli leaves. They are loaded with good nutrition.

[SLC]

Great advice, thank you so much!