tarvashine

i know it's not a "flower or herb" but we'd been talking about growing veggies here too so i thought i would ask you guys a quesiton about Broccoli.
i have never grown it before so i don't know what to expect....i set out about 9 fairly large started plants that my mom gave me...they were pretty root bound when i took them out of the cells...and stupid me i really didn't plant them as deep as i should have being that they were so big...could've burried half of the stems!
anywho...they have been out for about 6 weeks. they look about the same as they did to begin with as far as stature goes....they aren't wilting and are still standing upright, though there isn't really sign of growth.
the problem i've noticed in the last week or so is the colour of the leaves. they started yellowing a bit...not drying...edges and near the veins....then yesterday most of them look Purple! a pretty deep purple too....the entire leaf on some leaves and then not as bad on others...not sure if it's spreading to the stems.
i was thinking it was a nitrogen def....i haven't ferted them yet since the've been out...just water and sunshine....lots of wind too and cold...but they like the cold and the wind hasn't knocked them down yet so...i don't know?!

so if there are any veggie pros out there give me some tips on what might be going on here....your advice is greatly appreciated!

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buzzmobile

The purple color on the leaves is from the cold temps. They like to be fertilized on a regular basis. Nitrogen deficiency will show up as an overall light green color on the leaves.

tarvashine

really...the cold? weird. i had thought that...it was my first thought actually...BUT, it's been much warmer lately (since the purple appeared) than it was when they went outside so i thought it couldn't be that. well, i think i will start them on a fertilizer regimen tomorrow and hope that all goes well.
thanks for the help buzzmobile!

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Heybud

Soil pH should be between 5.8 and 6.5 for best growth. Also feed with a
5 10 10 to start then side dress with a calcium nitrate every 2 or three weeks. Cool weather crop so the weather shouldn't be a problem unless it is consistently under 40 at night. Mine are getting all beat up by the cat and are ready for a garden but still too cold here. Good Luck. They love to be watered and fed.

tarvashine

heybud,
thanks.
lol, the cat problem i sympathize with...i have lost a planting of onions, two seedings of mj, a small venus fly trap and two potted marigolds to our newest family member...an 8 month old puppy! she's a weird one...i have also caught her dragging out and chewing on some of the "chunks" in potting soil....

i don't think that the cold is the problem with the broccoli...only b/c of the temps lately and when the colour started to change. i think that i have been too slack on testing the ph in the garden and starting ferts on them. i plan on testing the ph out there today..and the ferts i will start probably tomorrow as it is watering day.
thanks for the help you guys, i will let you know how they turn out.

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"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

love, light, laughter & green to you and your's!

Redeyezzz

I've planted broccoli a few times now. The first year was great but the other 2 sucked. They got all flowery and yellow and never really tightened into a packed up flower head. I attribute those losses to overly hot/humid weather. Broccoli is a cool-weather crop that does poorly in hot summer weather.

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tarvashine

it has been skipping around from spring to summer like weather here and i do not think that they like that so much. i have some very young leaf lettuce out there too that has not been happy with the occasional 90+ days. i got my spinach in the ground so late it's not comming up at all. i guess i did not prepare well for these cold weather crops.
i do plan on having a garden thru the winter this year though...mainly b/c i want to start some garlic & asparagus so i figure i'll try it right with the others then too...starting in fall.

__________________
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

love, light, laughter & green to you and your's!

tarvashine

hi all!
thanks for all the advice on the broccoli. i thought i would stop in and let you know that it seems to be much better now. there is still some weird colouring But i gave a dose of fish emulsion last week and yesterday i noticed some small heads forming on about 3 or 4 plants!
so we seem to be on the right track...

__________________
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

love, light, laughter & green to you and your's!