Why are you sure that they won't head yet this summer? Mine are just starting to head.

At any rate, wrt the broccoli, yes, if you leave them, they may produce abundant side shoots in the fall. Different varieties are better for this than others.

Dunno about cauliflower.

This post was edited by ltilton on Mon, Jun 24, 13 at 13:59

Thanks for the info Itilton.
It is starting to get really hot and around here broccoli is a early spring crop. I was busy with the end of the semester and got them out late. If they do head how they will immediately bolt (what they did last year when it got extremely hot very early) would they make it and produce in the fall if I cut off any late heads that they put on (and they bolt). Probably not but just hoping!

Thanks!

They're going to head(at least some) before they bolt. The trick is to cut the heads right before the florets look like they're starting to separate. Right when they start to head, keep a daily eye on them and do this with any side shoots because they have a tendency to separate even quicker.

Regarding the cauli-- I've often had to wait for a heat spell to kick them into heading. I'd just let them keep going though even if they DON'T head in the summer. It'd be a nice little experiment. They just may kick back in and since they are a biennial, who knows?

Mulch heavily and keep soil moist and, at least, your broccoli will get you some form of harvest.

Good luck.

Kevin