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  • From: "William H Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Broccoli head discoloration
  • Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:20:06 -0500

I think you're probably right Erin. Hot dry conditions during broccoli head
development can be treacherous. The head is a flower and during development
the tissue forms rapidly. Any moisture stress, even heat-induced, will
result in malformed tissue. It may only be cellular but it will show up as
the head begins to size up. It might be best to cut out any heads that are
not marketable so the plant pushes side shoots. If you thin them to 2-3,
these side shoots can get decent size before starting to break up. So all
may not be lost.

Bill
William H. Shoemaker
Sr. Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - Crop Sciences
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road, St Charles, IL, 60174
630-584-7254, FAX-584-4610
wshoemak AT illinois.edu


Subject: [Market-farming] Broccoli head discoloration

My early broccoli heads look really weird this year. Variety is "Blue
Wind". The growth of the beads is very non-uniform (some tight, some
large), and some of the beads are turning yellow & even pink. Last
year this variety made really nice bluish-green compact heads, but
these are rainbow-colored almost! I'm not sure they're still
marketable. I am guessing it has to do with the incredibly hot & dry
May we had, before they started making heads. Then we got a lot of
rain all at once in June. Is there also some deficiency in my soil
maybe? Anyone have an idea about this? Thanks!

-----

Erin Bullock, Mud Creek Farm, Victor, NY
www.mudcreekfarm.com





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