Green broccoli . . .

[CJS]

Hi people, I have just picked my first Calibre (green broccoli?) I'm wondering what to do now with the stalk. I have crossed the top of the stalk as my Grandad used to with cabbages, no idea if this is right for this plant . . . will it produce any further flower, as side shoots or is that it one head per stalk? pull up and plant something else?

Can the leaves be eaten? like spring greens or purple sprouting tips? if so, do they taste good?



Nice size head, about the size of my spread hand/fingers, stalk is very tender.



CJS

[Colin_M]

Hi CJS, looks like you've got a good Calabrese head there. I never manage to pick mine at the right time.

If you leave the parent plant there, you should get a supply of small head-lets growing. Don't know what the weather's like your way, but it's warm & dry here and I'd expect to water pretty regularly to get them. You may have already been doing so, to get your initial head.

Don't expect too many more and you'll find a time comes when small ones are still forming but you'll want to dig it up.

As for the leaves, yes they're usable. Whether you like the flavour is down to your taste, but they're worth trying.

[CJS]

Thanks Colin, yes I have been watering every other evening when its dry. Looking forward to the evening meal, we are having stuffed courgette!!! yep, been picking the courgettes like mad, they grow almost as I've been watching them. But a couple were hiding at the back, like small marrows they were, due I presume to watering and the fact that I'm growing them on top of a compost heap! . . . Even the ones in the sink are a bit bigger than I would have liked. I spotted them Friday, OK until Sunday I thought . . . and now look 2 days and they are enormous!

So the fresh tender calabrese will be part of the meal this evening along with carrots and new potatoes . . .

CJS

[oldherbaceous]

Afternoon CJS, hope yourself and Hazel are well?

The crops are looking very impessive, always try and remember these moments, when others don't do quite as well.

Enjoy your meal.

[CJS]

Afternoon CJS, hope yourself and Hazel are well?

The crops are looking very impessive, always try and remember these moments, when others don't do quite as well.

Enjoy your meal.

Afternoon Oldherbaceous, Hazel and I are muddling along, Hazel in particular, shes not so good, but you know how these ladies are, they fight and say little

Considering the way the growing season started, things are not so bad I suppose, my beans are still not good, but as this is the third attempt, I'll be happy for some sort of crop? The next door neighbour was telling me he has had two goes at his beans this year. He gets my left over seedlings from the greenhouse, a couple of courgette plants I gave him are producing well he tells me . . . he says he's no Percy Thrower, put it in, its got two chances is his philosophy

Looking 'impressive' . . . are they? I have nothing or nobody to compare with. One has no idea what is normal, although I know when its bad I'm certainly pleased we are eating our own produce, very satisfying.

I'm trying to be more laid back this year, or should that be; 'got to be more laid back'? The feet and right knee are playing up . . . not doing much weeding, seems to work . . . just provided hazel dont start trying to cook the weeds for supper

Thanks from us both . . . CJS

[Nature's Babe]

It looks great, enjoy your meal CJS. try the greens they might be nice. People often reject one part of a plant when they could use it all. I recently grew some orange beetroot, the green tops were lush and when cooked like
spinach, very tasty and delicious - two veg in one.