Growing Broccoli

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02 Sep 13 Karan (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in the Perth hills and have started a container garden my broccoli has come on heaps, very healthy looking leaves (I used home compost and potting soil mix) the heads are growing but they are not big heads! How can i grow heads that are as big as what you see in the shops? Im sure I can see tiny florets turning into flowers, does that mean they are going to seed? Shall i fertilise more or eat them now as small as they are or wait until they get larger ? Thanks folks!
10 Jan 14 Monty (Australia - temperate climate)
From what I understand, once you allow the brocolli to flower it will not produce any florets. There are different varieties of brocolli that grow best at different times of the year, so check to see that you have the right type in your garden. Brocolli need a fair amount of water and it's a good idea to fertilise once a month to keep them healthy and producing florets. I've also had problems with my brocolli bolting, so I've been reading up on solutions. It seems that it all boils down to choosing the right varieties for the time of year and making sure the soil is not too heavy.
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