Despite growing perhaps as great a variety of food as anyone in this country - everything from pecans to almonds, Chilean guava to autumn olive, asparagus peas to Vietnamese coriander - I have never eaten nine star broccoli until this year.
I know this comment is a bit late, so hopefully you'll see it! I have just harvested my first Nine Star broccoli and am wondering what I do now? Do I just leave it? Or do I cut it back? As they are already very tall, I can't imagine they'll grow "upwards" for next year? Where do the new shoots come from each year? Sorry about all the questions, but I can't seem to find the answer online!
Thank you. I've just about finished harvesting them this year, although there are some small shoots coming, but I don't think they'll grow very big now. Next spring, when it starts to grow again, will it grown a large central head again? If so, where does that come from being as I've cut the middle part off already when I harvested that first?
I can now answer my own question. I ended up chopping the tops off my plants, leaving a thick stalk about 18” high.
This produced small sprouting growths during the year, which I removed and planted to make new plants.
Then this winter I left the ones near the top of the stalk and each one is growing a central floret with side sprouts, although the central ones are smaller than last years, which were obviously the main growth before I cut the stalks down. However on the 2nd year plants there are more florets growing so I’m picking them more like sprouting broccoli.
This is so interesting! I am still just the final consumer of my mum’s vegetable garden produce, but I might search for this and give her an uninterested gift! 😁
Thanks for introducing this interesting vegetable to me - now I feel like finding anything resembling brassica to play with in the kitchen - probably a quick blanching, followed by a session in a hot oven, then tossing with a hint of chili and a squeeze of lemon... I think that would chase away my rainy day blues quite nicely...
Looks magic. I love this time of year because I can grab a supermarket-punnets worth of purple sprouting every few days, but the flowers and stems are already getting a little leggy - am I cutting them too high?
I am envious of your green almonds! I had some for a few years when we were at the farm and loved them. I love them as they are, perhaps a little salt, but if you have plenty then Ajo Blanco /green/white gazpacho is a really good way of using them. there's a recipe in my book HERB
Coriander micros! What a fine thing they are. If you have a bit of ground it might suit the 9 star better as it'll be around for a few years and will take up space in the vegpod for a good while, but if you haven't then the vegpod it is
Just cut mine. Caviar crop. So worth the effort of growing. Your plant looks a very healthy specimen
So great isn't it
I know this comment is a bit late, so hopefully you'll see it! I have just harvested my first Nine Star broccoli and am wondering what I do now? Do I just leave it? Or do I cut it back? As they are already very tall, I can't imagine they'll grow "upwards" for next year? Where do the new shoots come from each year? Sorry about all the questions, but I can't seem to find the answer online!
Just keep harvesting when new bits develop - some may die back over winter but they should come back strongly
Thank you. I've just about finished harvesting them this year, although there are some small shoots coming, but I don't think they'll grow very big now. Next spring, when it starts to grow again, will it grown a large central head again? If so, where does that come from being as I've cut the middle part off already when I harvested that first?
I can now answer my own question. I ended up chopping the tops off my plants, leaving a thick stalk about 18” high.
This produced small sprouting growths during the year, which I removed and planted to make new plants.
Then this winter I left the ones near the top of the stalk and each one is growing a central floret with side sprouts, although the central ones are smaller than last years, which were obviously the main growth before I cut the stalks down. However on the 2nd year plants there are more florets growing so I’m picking them more like sprouting broccoli.
Added it to the list!
I don't think you'll regret it Siobhan
This is so interesting! I am still just the final consumer of my mum’s vegetable garden produce, but I might search for this and give her an uninterested gift! 😁
It's very hard to dislike Giulia! I think it's a safe present
Thanks for introducing this interesting vegetable to me - now I feel like finding anything resembling brassica to play with in the kitchen - probably a quick blanching, followed by a session in a hot oven, then tossing with a hint of chili and a squeeze of lemon... I think that would chase away my rainy day blues quite nicely...
That is the perfect way to enjoy this! And sorry for the rainy day blues...April in England should be a whole load warmer too
And just like that...the sun has made an appearance 😄
Fab idea and onto it.
Looks magic. I love this time of year because I can grab a supermarket-punnets worth of purple sprouting every few days, but the flowers and stems are already getting a little leggy - am I cutting them too high?
You could cut them sooner Dom, but if you like the flavour/texture then no harm done
I'm delighted to be of use! Such a great flavour too - I'm sure you'll love it
Hello Lesley, us all interacting is exactly why I started this - it hopefully brings all all pleasure!
I am envious of your green almonds! I had some for a few years when we were at the farm and loved them. I love them as they are, perhaps a little salt, but if you have plenty then Ajo Blanco /green/white gazpacho is a really good way of using them. there's a recipe in my book HERB
Coriander micros! What a fine thing they are. If you have a bit of ground it might suit the 9 star better as it'll be around for a few years and will take up space in the vegpod for a good while, but if you haven't then the vegpod it is
Hurrah!