calabrese

[helen2]

now that i have removed - and consumed - the main head of this summer's calabrese it there anything i can do to encourage side shoots to give me more??? Many thanks. Helen.

[Johnboy]

Hi Helen,
It really depends on the variety that you have grown.
I only sow open pollinated varieties like Original Green and Di Cicco which both give masses and masses of side shoots but some of the F1 varieties do not produce side shoots at all. If you can come back with the variety then I should be able to advise you.

[retropants]

Hello there!

Last year, and repeated (hopefully) this year I have planted Belstar and one other, I forget the name. They produced great main heads, then produced lots and I mean lots of side shoots regularly until Christmas. I went to New Zealand for a month, and when I got back in February, there were more side shoots!! You should cut all too-small shoots off as well as the ones you want to eat, as this will encourage more! I also removed all of the dying leaves in the autumn, and this seemed to encourage new 'buds' to form where these met the main stem. I was absolutely delighted with the plants last year, we had broccoli on a weekly basis for about 5-6 months! Hope this is useful, and makes sense. Sorry for rambling......

[helen2]

Hello Johnboy. It is an Unwins "Autumn Calabrese" - that's what's on the packet... helen

[Johnboy]

Hi Helen,
This is where Seed Houses fall down because that could well be anything. How ever Open Pollinated varieties generally have a quite small main head and when that has been picked you generally have to wait for 4-6 weeks for the side shoots to mature to a pickable size and then, as Retopants says, just so long as you pick everything and I mean everything you can look forward to a long harvesting period.
The reason for picking everything is because once one head goes into flower the production will cease.
Even if you do not need the spurs pick them and compost them.
I do hope this turns out to be the case.

[lizzie]

My friend grew Olympia calabrese last year. He cut the main heads in July and was still picking side shoots in November.

I've grown this myself previously and it was definitely worth the effort

[helen2]

I shall definitely try suggestions this year and next. Good job you told me to wait 4 to 6 weeks Johnboy - i am obviously being far too impatient. Thanks. Helen.

[Garlic_Guy]

Whilst my calabrese was growing and forming the main lowerhead, I watered it regularly (it was the beginning of the hot period). I did this in the hope that it would allow the heads to develop and prevent the flowers opening prematurely.

All my plants have had their main head cropped now. Should I continue to water whilst waiting for any secondary buds, or do they do ok left to fend for themselves over the summer?

[Johnboy]

Hi Colin,
Certainly do not leave to the elements but do not over water.

[jaci]

What I do with my calabrese, about 4-6 weeks after it has been planted out, is sprinkle a little Nitro Chalk around the bed at a rate of 1 oz per square metre, and always have a good crop. I should not think it is too late to do that now and it keeps the plants growing along well. Last time I bought it from my allotment shop I was told that you cannot get Nitro Chalk now but was given something that I was told was the same thing and it did the trick. Good luck with it and hope it is as delicious as it usually is. Jaci.

[newatallthis]

Hi all,

I have a question re calabrese, for starters what is the difference between this and broccoli? is it supposed to be leggier as it where a bit like purple sprouting or is it supposed to have a big head like broccoli.

One of mine in particular started to look like purple sprouting variety in that it long stem and small head, now that has grown a lot more and has started to flower is that ok?

Do I need to do anything to it?

Many Thanks for all your replies previously you have all been tremendously helpful.

Happy Growing
newatallthis

[jaci]

Hello Newatallthis. Calabrese has a medium large head which just before it shows colour should be picked and eaten, and when you have eaten all the central heads you wait for about 4-5 weeks for a lot of little side shoots to appear, when it is, rather like purple sprouting I suppose. You pick these with the stem they are on and cook them - I steam mine, they are very nice to eat. If it is flowering take the flowering head off and throw it away, you are supposed to eat it before it flowers. Jaci

[newatallthis]

thank you for that. just what i needed to know