Flowering Broccoli

[Gscot]

Last year had some broccoli which went to flower noticed the bees were hammering the yellow flower.Planning on planting a lot just for the flowers.
"Does any one know of any tips to make it go to flower quick.?"
Also have aquired 1kg of white clover seed and planning to plant."Is it just a case of scattering it across the grass and what time of year is best"?

Tried these questions on a gardening forum and did'nt have any intelligent replys.

 

[RoofTops]

Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family like oil seed rape so not surprising bees like the flowers.

If you want it flower early then, this may seem trite, but you need to treat it badly. Let it dry out and don't give any fertiliser. When stressed any plant tries to flower so it can reproduce before it expires.

I've grown mustard this year as a green manure which had it survived the big freeze would have flowered early - same family (crucifer) and type of flower.

There is a crop in the same family which I have seen planted for cover for pheasants in the winter. It has yellow flowers and is very early - but I've forgotton its name! Someone with a more functioning brain may post it soon.

I would just chuck the clover seed on the lawn in the spring (March onwards) if that is what you want - but depending on the type it may not make much of a lawn. Clover invades my lawn naturally so I haven't have to seed.

 

[Skyhook]

Not much you can do to make it flower early- difficult to stress it in April! Your best bet is to pic the earliest varieties. Rudolph is supposed toi be winter flowering, and can well be producing in Feb.

 

[Hombre]

I would just chuck the clover seed on the lawn in the spring (March onwards) if that is what you want

Come on Rooftops, you are smarter than that. Surely it would have to be a very big lawn for 1kg of clover seed? I think you forgot your back of envelope calculation perhaps.LoL

Of course I might be wrong and so stand by for a battering.

 

[Hivemaker.]

There is a crop in the same family which I have seen planted for cover for pheasants in the winter.

Usually Kale,but they also do some game cover seed mixes as well.

 

[tonybloke]

Last year had some broccoli which went to flower noticed the bees were hammering the yellow flower.Planning on planting a lot just for the flowers.
"Does any one know of any tips to make it go to flower quick.?"
Also have aquired 1kg of white clover seed and planning to plant."Is it just a case of scattering it across the grass and what time of year is best"?

Tried these questions on a gardening forum and did'nt have any intelligent replys.

'sprouting broccoli' is in flower in april/may, plant some in july / august

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Heat will bring them on faster, if you can put some plastic sheeting over them, that will do it, but cut back on the watering. The plastic will hold water.

Brian

 

[Cazza]

You could also sow Rocket which flowers quickly and is also loved by bees. This can be successionally sown.
I sow some later in the season which flowers just before the ivy to provide a late pollen source.
Cazza