10/07/2026
After soaking rains in late September, two of our broccoli plantings started doing something broccoli isn’t supposed to do yet: flower.
Look closely at the first photo. Instead of one tight, dense crown, the head has split into loose clusters, with buds swelling and stretching out on their own stems. That’s a stressed plant. When roots sit in waterlogged soil, they can’t get the oxygen they need, and the plant treats it as a threat. Its response is to rush toward making seed while it still can. The result is bitter flavor, uneven heads, and rot where water sat in the florets. It’s enough to make a farmer sad for an evening.
Now the second photo. Same rain, different planting and field. There, the broccoli was younger, had better drainage and more air moving between the plants, so the soil let go of the water and the leaves dried faster. And near the end of the row was a full, tight crown we didn’t expect. Enough to make a farmer clap in delight.
Plants thrive on steadiness: a balanced mix of warmth, sun, water, airflow, and nutrient-rich soil. Autumn doesn’t always offer that. So we plant in more than one field, in several successions, and we take the surprises gratefully when they come. They’re even sweeter when you don’t expect them.
