>One of my broccoli plants is about to flower. Googling has revealed that I
>should nip the flowers if I want to have a chance of harvesting some
>broccoli. There is only one bud which is not even golf ball size! What
>would cause it to flower so early in the season? I'm in the North East
>where it has been cool and rainy for the early part of the summer. Now it
>is mid-80s and mostly sunny. Is that why?
>
Could be any number of reasons why Broccoli will "button" i.e. form tiny flower heads, Primary reason is usually the the plant was stunted somewhere alon it growth cycle, I have seen plants kept in theier trays too long and actually button before transplanting. Sometimes a cold snap will cause the same phenomena in the garden, Cabbage root maggots and root diseases will also cause this, If your plants are growing well, then harvest the button and hope for more normal side shoots. Once the flowers open up the plant will divert all its energy to producing seeds,