Here in central Florida, we grew enormous broccoli plants but they never produced anything, even after six months growing. We put the seedlings in the ground in October in a marl soil that retains moisture and also used plenty of compost and some 10-10-10. Any ideas what went wrong or what we should do to amend the soil?
This has happened to me a couple of times in the South too, with various cole crops. Have you grown this variety of broccoli in this location and at the same time of year before, with success? The reason I ask is, some brassicas require vernalization (a sufficient number of cold temperatures before they flower/head) and some types may be photoperiod sensitive (waiting for days to get short enough/long enough to trigger flowering/heading). Did you have an especially warm winter? Definitely make sure you're growing a variety that's best suited to your latitude, and are growing it at the suggested time of year. I hope you at least got to eat your plants! The leaves are a delicious consolation prize. Also! Important tip: always leave broccoli roots in the ground when you harvest the plants. Decaying broccoli roots are toxic to verticillium dahliae, a stubborn soilborne fungus. Broccoli is worth growing for that reason alone!
- It sounds as though you have over fertilised them with far too much NITROGEN. N produces growth - leaves. Also grow them into the cooler winter months. DO NOT grow them into the hot summer months.
Patricia, I experienced the same last year in zone 9b. Not a single head or side shoots. After six months I pulled the plants and put them in the compost. Nothing goes to waste in my garden.
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