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What vegetable is this #655884

Asked June 25, 2020, 11:19 AM EDT

We bought what had tab that said broccoli. Never looked like we expected. Thought maybe broccoli rabe? Planted in March and photo taken in June. Help

Frederick County Maryland

Expert Response

Hi- this appears to be a broccoli plant with a central flower stem that elongated and opened rather than forming a tight head. We see a side sprout (little head) as well. If the plant is doing well you may get a number of these side shoots (cut and remove the main stem with the flowers). Bolting is a common problem that can have multiple causes- often temperature stress, especially when young plants experience very cold temperatures. The plant should be a good deal larger. This plant family are "heavy feeders" so fertilize next time.

It's usually best to wait and plant broccoli in early to mid-April and cover with a row cover to protect it from insects and to increase the temperature around the plant a bit. You can start seeds in mid-July and plant a fall crop in early August.
Web page on broccoli- https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/broccoli
Jon

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