Broccoli - what am I doing wrong?

[ourlittlezoo]

I grow all my plants from seeds, and generally am pretty successful. However, I planted some broccoli this year and they're all spindly and weedy and are not growing fast at all.

Also, the half dozen or so early plants I bought are producing heads, but they're only an inch across, maximum, then I have to pick them before they bloom.

My husband is obsessed with broccoli and I want to provide him with lots of it - how can I get healthy, productive plants?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

They may need more nitrogen. You can topdress them with some coffee grounds and see if that does the trick. If it helps, then you might want to give them a feeding mulch or fertilize them, depending upon your preferences.

When broccoli start off, the heads tend to be small. They will get larger heads as they mature.

If you are still getting small heads, you may also need to water them more, or more deeply. Mulching them may help, if water is an issue. However, if it is a heat issue causing them to bolt quickly, it may be that you planted them too late for your growing season.

Edited to say: OK, my experience is that the first heads are small, but apparently they should be large. I think the reason mine are always small is that our weather is either too cold or too hot, and so by the time mine start to "flower" I don't get good flower head development. :/

 

[ourlittlezoo]

Thanks, I'll try all of this. I'm in zone 7, if that helps at all..... and I planted them in late April.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I don't think you planted too late. Try the coffee grounds and deep watering/mulching and you should be ok.