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21 Aug 12 Deanna (USA - Zone 9b climate)

I have fabulous success with broccoli year after year. I have a couple of tips that help prevent/delay bolting and a question. Tips: Keep broccoli moist. Never let it dry, especially during warmer weather. To retain moisture and drastically reduce weeds, use a heavy mulch. I use hay and I add a layer as soon as the bottom layer starts to break down. One bale of hay will mulch about 100' sq and costs about five bucks. I grow my broccoli with collards, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots and onions during the cooler weather and with whatever survives, pops up or I get around to planting (cause we have 5 growing seasons here). Now the question: Although I can grow broccoli that's so green it's blue, is 4' tall and 6' around and produces side shoots for three months...my husband HATES the variety! I'm aware of the difference in the flavor of this particular variety (Waltham 29). It has an extremely dense taste, similar to asparagus, which I love, but Eddie refuses to eat it so it's pointless to grow it! Any suggestions on a heading variety (heat tolerant) that's more like the market variety? I collect my seed, so I try to find heirlooms, open pollenated.

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24 May 21 Deniza (USA - Zone 9b climate)

Hello Deanna, I am going to start gardening for the first time this year in zone 9B. I am looking at August as the time I can get anything in the soil. Would you be willing to mentor me? If so, please reply to this post. Thank you for considering my request.

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10 Mar 14 GJX (USA - Zone 5a climate)

Deanna, 9b should be toward California. Try these: Hybrids such as Italian green type also called green sprouting broccoli or calabrese These types take from 75 to 140 days to grow once in the ground too the table.

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