Disaster on the plot

[jonny the plant pot]

As it's my first year I thought I was doing quite well only to find out today that my colliflower and my broccoli has all bolted.
That's me digging for up 52 plants tomorrow.
I feel sick and gutted is there anything going forward u can do to stop this in the future.

[muddled]

I think it's really just rotten luck...there seems to be a lot of things bolting this year, probably because of a long cold spring followed by a sudden spell of hot weather.

I'm totally rubbish at caulis and summer brassicas so won't offer advice for the future but please don't be disheartened! It was probably nothing you did or didn't do and in this hobby of ours you win some you lose some every single year!

[Nicos]

That is bad luck
Some years are good for some crops, other years better for others.
As we can't really predict accurately the year ahead weather wise, it's always good to grow a selection of different fruit and veg, rather than a lot of a few.
Some varieties will thrive, others will fail.
The successes will soften the blow from the failures.

Maybe you can also be more selective within your selection as to the variety which may suit you better???

[Penellype]

Very bad luck . Bolting is often (although not always) caused by plants being too dry. We've had a very dry spring here, and you are not that far from me. You can't do anything about the weather, which has been challenging to say the least this year. With regard to prevention in future years, probably the best thing to do is to mulch, as this will hep to keep the moisture in. You can use any of weed suppressant fabric, newspaper, cardboard, chopped vegetation (not seeds or perennial roots though) or compost. Be careful with manure though, unless it is well rotted as it can scorch young foliage if it is fresh.

[Bigmallly]

Apart from the already good advice above, the only couple of pointers I can think of are:
a) Make sure they are well firmed in, plant them, firm them down then firm them down again.
b) Brassicas prefer cool soil so mulch if possible.

[jonny the plant pot]

Thanks for the advice I appreciate it

[Zelenina]

All may not be lost with the broccoli. Try cutting off the flowering heads and they might produce smaller side sprouts. Not sure if all varieties of broccoli do this but certainly some do.

[crannman]

some of my broccoli was striped bare was going to dig it up been to plot today and the heads are forming so see how they go

[WPG]

That's so frustrating for you Jonny. I'd echo Bigmallys advice to mulch around them as much as you can. I was advised (here) once that it's the brassica roots heating up that makes them bolt, so keeping the soil shaded is important. I use chopped comfrey leaves to mulch around mine, but anything that shades the soil would do.

[kris1960]

I sympathise, my cauliflowers have also bolted- cut off and cut a cross in the stem and they will produce very tasty sprouts. I am still enjoying eating mine anyway. Better luck next time!

[jonny the plant pot]

Will take a couple of pictures tomorrow see what you all think before I get the big spade out.

[Jonny.D]

Thanks for all the answers everyone, I've learned something new today

[Thelma Sanders]

The best way to not get everything cropping or bolting at the same time is to stagger sowings. How many can you eat in a fortnight? sow that many every 2 weeks. Or else sow varieties that mature at different times.

[jonny the plant pot]

Things are starting to look a bit better

[jonny the plant pot]