Broccoli florets are yellowish green - Ask Extension
I planted broccoli this year for the first time. I have little heads of broccoli developing, but they are yellowish green. What is wrong with them? I ...
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Broccoli florets are yellowish green #827150
Asked April 25, 2023, 2:43 PM EDT
I planted broccoli this year for the first time. I have little heads of broccoli developing, but they are yellowish green. What is wrong with them? I added more leaf grow to the soil, hoping that that will help.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
We think that the unusual coloring that you are seeing is either from the period of high heat that we had, or it could be due to the variety that you are growing.
If you know the variety, check what type of head (for instance is it supposed to be a paler-colored flower head?) and if it's listed as 'heat-resistant'.
If it is supposed to be a green-headed cultivar, it is
still edible but won't develop normally. If you like, you could cut off the malformed head and wait for side shoots for a smaller second harvest.
Broccoli is a cool-weather crop and can be difficult to grow well in spring in our area. A fall crop, started in mid-late July tends to be much better. (Here is our vegetable planting calendar for reference:
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2021-04/UME%20Planting%20Calendar_EN_v4.0.pdf)
Here is a blog post about climate change and vegetable gardening that mentions heat-resistant broccoli cultivars:
https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2022/01/21/heat-tolerant-vegetable-crops-and-cultivars-for-the-changing-climate/
Christine
If you know the variety, check what type of head (for instance is it supposed to be a paler-colored flower head?) and if it's listed as 'heat-resistant'.
If it is supposed to be a green-headed cultivar, it is
still edible but won't develop normally. If you like, you could cut off the malformed head and wait for side shoots for a smaller second harvest.
Broccoli is a cool-weather crop and can be difficult to grow well in spring in our area. A fall crop, started in mid-late July tends to be much better. (Here is our vegetable planting calendar for reference:
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2021-04/UME%20Planting%20Calendar_EN_v4.0.pdf)
Here is a blog post about climate change and vegetable gardening that mentions heat-resistant broccoli cultivars:
https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2022/01/21/heat-tolerant-vegetable-crops-and-cultivars-for-the-changing-climate/
Christine
