Young broccoli plants have started flowering but I have not seen any florets forming yet. Is this bad? Help?

Question

Young broccoli plants have started flowering but I have not seen any florets forming yet. Is this bad? Help?

Answer 1

If it's going straight to yellow flowers, it's "bolting".  This happens more often in hot weather.   Broccoli forms the best heads when the weather is cool.  (or you've planted "broccoli raab", which never forms big heads...just little baby florets.  If you wait for large heads, they'll go to flower while you're waiting, because they're not hard-wired for large heads.)

I plant some out as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring, sometimes a couple months BEFORE the last frost, and the best harvest is my fall crop.  That I seed in early July, and plant out in early August.  The plants mature as we start getting cooler weather.  They love it, and frost doesn't bother them.

Answer 2

Yes. The broccoli has gone to seed.  

The florets ARE the flower heads. They are the buds - the unopened flowers.

If broccoli has gone to seed it can still be eaten but it is usually tough and bitter. The flower heads should be removed, as well as the skin.

Remove the flower heads, peal the skin – like a potato – and add it to other food, such as stews or soups.

Although, once the flower heads have been removed and it has been peeled, you may be able to end up with good flavor if it is steamed – try it. It won’t hurt you.

If you don’t like it after it has been prepared, either compost it or throw it in the garbage.