Brocolli Mystery

Look at this beautiful broccoli! Huge plants with hardly a bug hole. Only one problem, no heads! None. Zero. Just lovely green leaves!

I started these plants from seed, planted them early, protected them with row cover, and this is the result. I don't know what I did wrong. I have successfully grown broccoli in the past. Check here for proof!

Do you have any ideas what my problem is? Our garden has been producing so abundantly in other areas that I have not missed broccoli much. That is until I look at these beautiful plants and imagine all the great meals they should be giving us!

The only thing that I can figure is that I have a bad variety. Usually I grow Packman or Premium Crop. This year I got some seed for Romnmesco Italia broccoli - a European variety that supposedly has a superior flavor. I obviously wasn't able to test their claim! I wish I would have at least planted a few of my normal varieties so that I could know whether it was the variety or the something else I did this year.

In a few weeks, I plan to plant broccoli for fall. This time I'm planting two or three different kinds! I've learned one lesson!

And these plants? I may just continue to let them grow here and see what happens. Who knows? Maybe they will decide to grow heads at about Christmas!

Edited to add: I took the advice of the Naptime Seamstress and emailed the company where I bought the seeds. They kindly replied and said that others seemed to be having problems with that variety as well. They offered to refund my money or give me another variety. It doesn't help give me broccoli this spring, but at least I know that maybe it isn't my fault!