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Are your broccoli plants bolting prematurely? And you do not understand why it is happening or how you can prevent it. Then you must keep reading.
Broccoli is a nutritional plant many people grow and harvest when the bud heads are tight. However, the plant can flower prematurely due to various reasons. And once they flower, they are of no use. Also, Broccolis and Calabrese are prone to bolting. And factors like environmental stress, temperature, and lack of nutrition can cause bolting. Other causes include excessive stress on roots and soil. The worst part of bolting is that you can slow down the process but cannot bring it back.
Therefore, seasoned gardeners find effective ways to prevent their broccoli plants from bolting. So, keep reading to prevent your broccoli from bolting or premature flowering. Here, we will discuss everything you need to know about preventing Broccoli from bolting.
What is Broccoli Bolting?
Broccoli plants are prone to bolting. Bolting means flowering or, more specifically, premature flowering. And broccolis flower when weather, temperature, soil conditions, etc., hamper the root-bound seedlings or the plant’s growth. However, bolting broccoli heads causes trouble with storage quality and eating of the vegetable.
Symptoms of Broccoli Bolting
Broccoli bolting is a common problem among people growing Broccoli for the first time. But if you know your broccolis will bolt, you can harvest them earlier. There are several signs and symptoms you can notice in your broccoli plants before they blot. The most common and significant symptom of broccoli flowering is the head becoming loose and scattered. Once the dome-shaped head begins to lose, your Broccoli will bolt within a few days. However, you may also see other symptoms, like buds starting to swell and heads becoming yellowish before they finally flower.
Besides, lose and yellow heads, you can also witness the following signs-
1. Bolting Heads
When your broccoli heads become too large, they can naturally begin to flower with bright yellow blossoms.
2. Bolting Stems
Another significant sign of broccoli flowering is bolting stems. Broccoli heads often start to grow tall stems before bolting. And these stems can grow fairly taller than the head.
3. Stunted Heads
Sometimes broccoli heads stay stunted before they flower. So, do not waste your time when your broccoli heads become stunted. And harvest your Broccoli as soon as possible.
How to Prevent Broccoli Bolting?
Broccoli heads flower prematurely for various reasons like weeds, pests, poor soil conditions, extreme weather, excessive watering, etc. So, if you want to prevent broccoli bolting and harvest healthy broccoli on time, use the following tips-
1. Thin Out Plants During Transplantation
Overcrowding broccoli seedlings during transplantation can cause plant stress. And a stressed broccoli plant is prone to bolt. You can prevent this condition easily by thinning out seedlings during the transplantation. Always plant your broccoli seedlings with proper space. You can buy Old Hogden seed packets to grow Broccoli. They have full details on the back like how to water or the adequate spacing for plantation etc. Follow the instructions, and you will have hassle-free broccoli harvesting.
2. Choose a Suitable Location For Planting
Another best way to prevent broccoli bolting is to plant the seedlings in a proper location. It is crucial to plant your Broccoli. Broccoli plants placed in fertile soil with adequate sunlight and temperature can help to prevent untimely flowering. You can use natural composts like New Horizon vegetable growing compost or Miracle-Gro Performance Organics all-purpose compost to keep your seedlings healthy.
3. Water Your Plants Well
Another essential way to prevent your broccoli heads from bolting or flowering is to water them well. Broccoli is a part of the cabbage family and requires regular irrigation for healthy growth. The ideal watering will be weekly, and the soil must be wet around 1 inch deep inside the ground. However, the watering may depend on the weather condition. And if you live in a dry area, you may need more frequent watering.
To know whether your Broccoli needs water, put your fingers into the soil and check the moisture. And if the ground is wet about an inch, watering is unnecessary. You can also use a layer of mulch to lock the soil’s moisture.
4. Plant the Seedlings At the Right Time
You must sow and transplant them at the right time to prevent Broccoli from premature flowering. Planting and transplanting your broccoli seedlings at the right time is crucial because using over-mature seedlings will flower early. In addition, over-mature seedlings are prone to pant stress, leading to bolting. So, you must ensure timely sowing and transplanting of your broccoli plants.
Different species of broccoli seeds have different times to sprout and grow. You can also consult an arborist to know when to sow your broccoli seedlings.
5. Use Fertilizer
Lack of nutrition is a significant reason behind the bolting of broccoli heads. If you plant your Broccoli in infertile soil, it will bolt prematurely. That is why most people who plant their broccoli plants in a container face early flowering. You can prevent this issue by using soil-based compost like Levington multipurpose compost. However, you must not overdose on the compost as this will also trigger the early reproduction process in your Broccoli. And as a result, your Broccoli will bolt early.
6. Harvest On Time
Like all corps, broccolis have a fixed time-to-time maturity, and once the time passes or nears, your broccoli heads bloom naturally. That is why you must be more observant and closely check your plant when the mature days are near. Irrespective of the species, all broccolis take 60 to 70 days to transform and fully mature from seedlings. You can read the instructions on your seed pack to know the exact time. Also, harvest your broccoli heads when they are green and tightly clustered with buds.
7. Keep Away Weeds and Insects
Weeds and insects are harmful to any crop, and there is no exception for Broccoli. Broccolis are fragile and do not compete well with aggressive weeds and insects. Also, when you pant your Broccoli in a high weed and insect area, they will bol off early. They can also die in such conditions. So, to prevent bolts, you must keep weeds and insects away from your Broccoli. Use plant-friendly pesticides and control weeds around the plant.
8. Plant Bolt-Resistant Variant
Some people continuously face bolting issues even when trying to avoid them. Some factors, such as weather and temperature, are not in our hands that influence bolting in premature broccolis. In such cases, they can opt for a bolt-resistant variant of Broccoli to prevent bolting. Such variants are lesser prone to bolt over others. They are ideal for people who want to grow Broccoli at a slightly higher or lower temperature than usual.
9. Try Crop Rotation and Companion Planting
Using mix plantation and crop rotation schemes is also helpful to prevent bolts in your Broccoli. When plant broccoli with chillies and lettuce can make broccolis healthy and happy, it also reduces environmental stress and prevents bolting.
In addition, you can also brassicas to crop rotation with Broccoli to keep the soil fertile and well-moisture for future plantation.
Reasons Behind Broccolli Bolting
There are multiple reasons responsible for broccoli bolting. And if you know them beforehand, you can easily prevent it from happening. Therefore, below we will share some primary reasons behind Broccoli’s bolt-
1. Extreme Weather Conditions
Extreme weather conditions such as freezing cold or extreme hot can cause broccoli bolting. Broccoli is a cool-weather crop and likes mild and pleasant temperatures. The ideal weather to plant this cabbage family member is 60° to 70° Fahrenheit. And if the temperature goes beyond 86°F, it may cause your broccoli heads to grow unevenly and bumpy. They are okay to eat but can look weird.
On the other hand, if they are exposed to freezing temperatures for a long time, their heads will remain stunted and start to bloom untimely.
2. Crowded Planting
Another primary reason that causes broccoli plants to bolt is crowded planting. Broccoli plants are prone to flower prematurely if the seeds are stressed. And when you plant your broccoli seeds too close, it can stress the plants and cause a bolt. That is why you must learn about the proper planting rules and different spacing for each broccoli species. It will help you plant your broccoli seeds without stressing them.
3. Growing Over-Mature Seedlings
Growing over-mature seedlings is also a common reason why you’re your broccoli is bolting. Timely planting of your broccoli seedlings is essential. You can sow them or transplant them in your garden. Transplantation is more beneficial as it helps to avoid seed loss. However, planting the seeds too early or bringing mature seedlings for transplantation may end up buttoning. Buttoning means the plant produces a head early in the season. This head never grows in a harvestable size, and you need to pull and toss it in the compost.
4. Water Stress
Too much watering, especially over the head, can cause water stress. Broccoli comes from the cabbage family, and like cauliflower or Brussels, they require regular irrigation. However, too much or too little water can cause Broccoli to bolt. Water the broccoli infrequently yet deeply while trying to keep the soil moist. About one to two inches of water is necessary every week. Though, how much water broccoli requires depends on several factors, such as the amount of rainfall, the type of soil, and the climate.
5. Weed, Insects and Pests
Plant stress is a significant reason behind broccoli bolting. And pests, weeds and insects can cause plant stress in Broccoli. As a result, your broccoli plants start to flower prematurely. Broccoli seeds are very sensitive and do not withstand aggressive weeds and pests. If you plant Broccoli in a high weed, pest, and insect area, they will get stressed and bolt early.
6. Infertile Soil
Infertile soil is also a big reason behind broccoli bolting. As we have learned, broccolis are sensitive plants and cannot sustain in infertile soil. Instead, they need a balanced condition of the soil to thrive. And, if the ground lacks valuable nutrients, your broccoli seedlings may bolster early. A fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8 is the ideal range to prevent broccoli from bolting. The soil needs to be nutrient-balanced. You can add fertiliser or use acidic soil to ensure your plant gets a good supply of all the nutrients. You can repeatedly do the process every two to three weeks during its growing season.
7. Not Harvesting At the Right Time
Lastly, like every crop, Broccoli does have a harvesting season. And if you delay the harvest for too long, your broccoli heads will start to bolt naturally after a specific time. You must wait for the crop to mature to harvest them on time. But waiting for too long may also cause trouble.
The right time to harvest Broccoli is early morning as the Broccoli’s head becomes tight and firm at this specific time. Remove the heads from the Broccoli plant and take six inches of stem. When you notice yellow petals, quickly start harvesting as their quality may decrease. However, you must remember that the harvesting period can differ in its variety.
Broccoli Bolting: Wrapping up
You may not know, but Broccoli is mainly a cool-weather crop. Therefore, when it gets excessive heat or moisture, it starts to bolt. Though you can always taste broccoli flowers, it loses its nutrients when it becomes a flower. Bolting is a very common issue for seasoned gardeners. Bolting refers to a state when bright yellow blossoms cover a broccoli’s head. Broccolis are prone to bolting, and multiple reasons can trigger premature bolting in Broccoli. Some of the major causes of the bolt include environmental factors, crowd planting, water stress, plant stress, etc.
However, using proper protection and care can prevent Broccoli from bolting. You must keep the soil and roots cool when the weather starts to heat up. You can put a good layer of mulch on the topsoil to prevent bolting and keep it healthy. Also, you can use fertilizer, control weeds and pests, try crop rotation, companion planting or use a bolt-resistant variant to avoid bolting. The broccoli blossoms may look pretty and photogenic.
But we do not grow the plant for these pretty flowers. Do we?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Does Broccoli Bolting Mean?
Bolting in Broccoli is a common issue. Bolting means flowering or flowering in a burst. Due to various environmental and non-environmental reasons, the broccoli heads and stems began to flower. This flowering broccolis are called bolting. In some cases, Broccoli heads flower prematurely, affecting the storage and eating quality. The primary sign of bolting is that the broccoli’s head starts to swell and becomes loose. Additionally, it often gets taller than its usual size when it starts bolting. Therefore, you must take care of the plant to prevent bolting.
How to Know if Your Broccoli Is Bolting?
Broccolis tend to bolt when mature or lack nutrition or a proper growing environment. However, you can witness specific symptoms before the bloom. The most common signs and symptoms of broccoli flowering include head flowering, stem flowering, lost head, swell buds and yellowish heads. There can be several reasons behind the bolting. But, you need to identify the root cause so that you will know what you must do to prevent it. One of the best and most effective ways is to plant them in cool soil.
What Are the Common Reasons Behind Broccoli Flowering?
There are many environmental factors behind broccoli flowering. The most common reasons behind broccoli flowering are over-mature seedlings, excessive heat, water stress, crowd planting, plant stress, overuse of fertilizer, etc. So, checking the plant thoroughly during its growing season is necessary. You can prevent all the problems if you identify the early signs of bolting. Otherwise, the plant will not stop growing.
Can Excessive Heat Cause Broccoli to Bolt?
Extreme weather conditions are not appropriate for growing Broccoli. They do not like both extreme cold and hot weather. And if your Broccoli is exposed to a temperature of 86°F or above for a long time, it can cause bolting. Also, it is not only about the weather temperature; the soil temperature also matters a lot. If the roots of the Broccoli get too warm, it will automatically speed up the life cycle of the plant.
Can You Eat Broccoli when It Begins to Bolt?
Yes, you can eat Broccoli when it begins to bolt. However, bolting broccolis taste bitter, and the nutritional value also decreases. So, it is also better to harvest tight-bud broccolis. Though it is subjective as a few people like to eat broccoli flowers, and some find it much bitter. It produces a nutty flavour, and you can have it with your salad and other edibles.
