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The Broccoli That Keeps on Giving


These are the side shoots from my splendid broccoli plant. They are bigger than most whole broccoli heads I have grown in the past. This plant just keeps on giving. There are a few tiny shoots coming along which I will nurture, then surely that will be all. It has shown me that broccoli thrives with lots of nutrients, and lots of space. I LOVE broccoli. Steamed broccoli with pasta and chorizo, broccoli in stir-fry, plain steamed broccoli with a swirl of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Peeled, chopped broccoli stems in soup, baby broccoli leaves wilted with kale or chard.

Now I am on a roll with broccoli I want to dig up the lawn and start a mini broccoli farm. If only I could persuade the rest of the family to go away on a nice holiday for a week...
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Comments

Heather said…
Your broccoli looks fantastic. I tried to grow broccoli once and kept waiting for the heads to fill out. They ended up flowering and never looked anything like market broccoli before that. I then gave up on growing it, but you have just renewed my interest.
Sunday, 04 August, 2013
Anonymous said…
You have given me the confidence to attempt to give broccoli another go. I tried it when we lived in town but it was such a sad result that I didn't bother since. Might give it a go now :)
Sunday, 04 August, 2013
Jen's Busy Days said…
I liked the tempura battered broccoli I bought at the shops. Baked and sprinkled with a little salt! Yum!

Congratulations on your broccoli nursing, very productive!

Best wishes
Jen in NSW
Sunday, 04 August, 2013
Jo said…
Heather, they need so much food to be happy, now I have discovered this I'm hoping for success every time. Also, because they are flower buds, it is critical when you plant them, because warm weather sends them bolting to flower, then seed. The best broccoli in our climate gets planted in early autumn and matures in winter. Planted any other time you have to catch it quick before it flowers.
Jen, love the tempura battered broccoli idea. I have never deep fried veg, but have a friend with a deep fryer who does tempura a lot. Will have to look into that.
Sunday, 04 August, 2013
Anonymous said…
Mmmmm. Trying to think of ways to help you.

Could you say they are a new ornamental flower and plant a row along the front fence?

Or just dig your garden beds out by 10cm all along the edge and plant the broccoli there? Maybe by taking a little bit of the lawn, your family won't notice immediately?
Sunday, 04 August, 2013
Jo said…
Lucinda, you are so kind to be helping my nefarious scheme. They 'noticed' when I dug up the entire front lawn and replaced it with fruit trees and roses, and they keep a very careful eye on the back lawn now... but I did rip out all the ornamentals from one front bed in autumn, might pop some broccoli in there in spring. Ornamental broccoli of course...
Sunday, 04 August, 2013
e / dig in hobart said…
it's great to see the success you have had with your broccoli! it's one of my favourite vegies too. i am trying purple sprouting broc this year for the first time - it 'comes and comes again' too.
i agree with your other friends here. surreptitiously plant it amongst the roses :-)
Monday, 05 August, 2013
Jo said…
Fran, hope it works for you in your new fab vegie garden!
e, hoping to see photos of purple broccoli. It sounds very artistic!
Monday, 05 August, 2013
SarahN @ livetolist said…
You need to help me learn to love broccoli! It's the only thing my picky eater bro would eat as a kid, so it was a daily feature at dinner. I hate the stuff!! I hate it soggy and mushy. I'm ok with it crudite style with dips and the like though. Congrats on mastering the crop though - there's so much to learn with gardening and growing food, from my short foray!
Wednesday, 07 August, 2013
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