Broccoli in February? Never!
Never say never.....
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This photo, taken on September 30 last year, shows the broccoli "tree" I was trying to remove during fall garden cleanup. I had cut it back as far as I could, with the tools I had on hand at the time, but gave up on trying to dig it out as I had injured my ankle and it was too painful to use the shovel. Imagine my surprise last month when I found this................
I picked this little morsel on February 27. The broccoli tree lived through a very cold winter and is now producing side shoots! There are several more little buds forming, too. I won't be weighing these surprise harvests, but I will be eating them :-)
Wow it makes me wonder if I should leave my old broccoli stems in. We live in the same zone though our weather is very different.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I'll definitely be leaving my 2013 broccoli crop in, just as an experiment. I wonder how this plant will look in a couple of months! At least it's in a spot I don't need for new crops, right at the foot of the strawberry bed.
Deletehow awesome is that!
ReplyDeleteShawn Ann. I never tried overwintering broccoli before, so I don't know if it's a common ocurrance or not.
DeleteAnd, she's BACK in the game. 2 posts in one week y'all! I bet that broccoli is some of the best ever. Especially because it was FEBRUARY and came from your garden. Awesome harvest Granny!
ReplyDeleteYep, Barbie, she's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack, LOL!
Deletewhat the heck!!
ReplyDeleteMrs. P., I was tired of broccoli by October, but it sure looked good in February!
DeleteNow I will have to go out and see if I have any broccoli on my plants. Probably not, but I'll check anyway.
ReplyDeleteMaybe so, Langela. I've never left mine over winter before.
DeleteOur winters must be worse than yours or you have magic plants. My plants are nowhere near alive, mush less productive. No surprise there. I have no magic plants. Except maybe my tomato plants during growing season last year.
DeleteLet's chalk it up to magic plants. Actually, I've never left anything, other than carrots and spinach, in the garden to see if it would over winter. I always tried to get everything cleaned up before we headed south, so only the tomatoes and flowers ended up dying and needed spring cleanup. Now we aren't going south any more, so I'm not in quite such a hurry to pull out everything in sight. I sure will leave my broccoli in this year, even though Mr. Granny still hates it.
DeleteYaye good to see you back Granny! We lost our broccoli. We planted them in the raised beds which all got ripped up for the makeover, only to find the 'wood guy' who was going to use that area didn't turn up. So I shall sit here imagining I'm eating yours! Ha! But point noted for our next crop we plant, so I shall put them somewhere they can sit over Winter and see if we have the same happen. ;)
ReplyDeleteAw, that's too bad Jacqui. I hate it when people say they're going to do something, then don't show up. It happens all too often.
DeleteDid you have a particularly warm winter?
ReplyDeleteLisa and Robb, absolutely not! I think we were consistently below normal most of the winter. I might expect it in the milder west side climate, but Eastern Washington is quite cold.
DeleteBroccoli in February - I can't top that! It's simply amazing. I've had Brussels Sprouts overwinter here, but never broccoli.
ReplyDeleteDave, it tastes good, too! My Brussels sprouts got consumed by aphids in late October, so we didn't get any to eat.
DeleteNom Nom. Did they taste better?
ReplyDeleteCloud, I munched it down raw, and it was sweet flavored, not strong at all. I found another overwintering one in the flower bed, but the side shoots are not as well formed on it. I'll let it be for a while and see what it does.
DeleteI love those early spring overwintered surprises! :D Broccoli and kale are pretty tough cookies from my own garden experiences.
ReplyDeleteKitsap, I've only had a bit of luck with spinach. Even carrots get an odd texture after freezing all winter, so I was quite surprised the broccoli not only survived, but at how good it tasted.
DeleteThat is interesting to hear! Especially a treat this time of year! Nancy
ReplyDeleteLOL, Nancy, a very tiny treat. Just two bites and it was gone!
DeleteYum! Eating in Feb! I have to comment on your "bunny picture" at the top of you blog...just too cute! Is that your bunny? Really adorable...robbie:-)
ReplyDeleteNo, Robbie. Our bunny, Cookie, went to the great beyond 16 months ago :-( That's just a picture I found on line, and I fell in love with it.
DeleteHow incredibly cool is that?! Maybe that's the trick...just leave the stalk to overwinter and then harvest in the spring! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteBee Girl, I'll definitely be trying it next winter!
Deletehaha! I bet there's no worms this time of year!
ReplyDeleteErin, I didn't have worms in any of the broccoli last year. Must be the radioactive wastes that are now leaking out of 6 storage tanks at Hanford :-(
DeleteCool!I wonder... I left a brussels sprouts stalk in the ground over winter.
ReplyDeleteDavid, my sprouts all came out when they got infested with aphids. I do see a cluster of tiny cabbages that missed being composted. It's growing in the pathway, so it might have to go.
DeleteI'm very new to this gardening gig (just had my one-year anniversary) and have pulled up some things I should have let grow. I'm glad to know that you never stop learning! That's what makes it fun.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Patricia, I've gardened for more than 50 years, and I'm still learning.
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