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Your kids will love homegrown Broccoli! It is a cool season vegetable that prefers sunny locations and fertile, well-drained soil. Incorporate plenty of organic matter into the area before planting.
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 Plant seeds 1/4-3/4 inch deep, 2-3 weeks before the last frost in the spring. Add an extra week or two to the planting time if using seed, when planting in the fall.
Avoid growing during the heat of summer as yield and quality are greatly reduced. After harvesting the main head, side dress with compost, a high in nitrogen fertilizer or liquid fish emulsion fertilizer. Transplants can be used to provide earlier harvest. Ideally, seeds or transplants should be spaced 12-18 inches between plants in the rows with rows 2-3 feet apart. Close placing has a tendency to reduce head size and side shoot development. Mulch between plants to help control weeds and conserve moisture. Water deeply but infrequently. You can interplant with other various root crops including lettuce, spinach, radishes and I personally prefer to use daikon radishes. The broccoli likes "cool feet" and helps to shade the lettuce and spinach, the daikons sliced thin make a great addtion to a stirfry with the broccoli.
Insect and Disease and Controls: Aphids-use of insecticidal soaps, or strong water streams to dislodge insects, appropriate insecticides Cabbage Worms and Loopers=spraying with Bacillus Thuringiensis or using row covers or cloches to control insects Flea Beetles-mainly affect seedlings control with appropriate insecticides. It is important to rotate this crop to a different planting areas on a yearly basis as it is predisposed to clubroot and other diseases that effect cole crops. Using good sanitation measures help you avoid those type of problem.
Planting broccoli in the fall has many advantages, in that there are fewer insect pests, while the growing cycle is slower, the quality and taste of the produce seems to be sweeter and more flavorful or at least it seems that way to us. Broccoli gets sweeter with a nip or two of cold. I am currently growing Green Comet (55 days; early; heat tolerant) and Green Goliath (60 days; spring, summer or fall; tolerant of extremes). I am intrigued by Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli (60 days) it's a purple heirloom broccoli designated to grow better in the spring which I am planning on trying next year.
Broccoli has excellent nutritional value in that has low sodium, no fat, no cholesterol, high vitamin C, low in calories (without lots of gooey cheese on the side) and source of folate, calcium and Vitamin A.
Broccoli heads should be harvested when the heads are compact but before the flower buds open. Mature heads are 6-12 inches in diameter and should be cut with stems 8-10 inches long. With additional water and fertilizer, broccoli will produce many 4-6 inch long side shoots. Broccoli can be refrigerated for about 1-2 weeks. To preserve fresh broccoli, blanching and freezing is the easiest method to use. body { background: #FFF; }
 | Hubby and I have been doing Organic Gardening off and on for over 25 years. Just finishing the Virginia Master Gardening classes at the end of Nov 07. I love talking and teaching gardening to anybody that will listen. |
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Subject: Great info
Posted by Robynznest (from Stoutland, MO) on January 7, 2008 at 3:07 PM:Glad I read this, I will try to grow it again, but will make the appropriate changes and grow in cooler weather. ... Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on January 7, 2008 at 4:18 PM: Thankee, I just find it's less fuss and muss and you get a better crop with fewer bugs to battle. Do try a pick a broccoli that gives you side shoots once the main head is cut. I harvest those a few at a time, blanch em, but em in a ziploc bag and I have broccoli available anytime. Those are super sweet because they are small and compact. ... Posted by Robynznest (from Stoutland, MO) on January 7, 2008 at 4:57 PM: We had some good ones a few years ago that gave off the shoots, plus it wasn't a very hot summer which helped. Just couldn't get anything decent the last couple of years. I may have to go to another town to find plants.
Next article - brussel sprouts. ...
Subject: good info!
Posted by Zanymuse (from Fortuna, CA) on January 7, 2008 at 2:45 PM:I think I am going to plant some in my mothers garden for her. She is always saying that it is hard to get really fresh broccoli. ... Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on January 7, 2008 at 4:23 PM: Great and home grown just taste better. Do try and get a one that gives side shoots once the main head is harvested. Those are yummy. I actually prefer the Di Cicco variety for those. That one starts bloom at about 48 days, so it's a quick one. ... Posted by Zanymuse (from Fortuna, CA) on January 7, 2008 at 7:59 PM: thanks doccat5,I'll do that! ... Posted by victorgardener (from Lower Hudson Valley, NY) on January 7, 2008 at 8:10 PM: I'm holding you to your opening promise, Cath! If my kids don't eat it...
Good info! ... Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on January 7, 2008 at 8:16 PM: Well, victor what are you gonna do with those younguns? Mine like the stuff, so does the grandbaby and she's only 4. Of course, she does like to "pet" my plants before we harvest...what a hoot! And thank you for the kind encouragement! :) ... Posted by scutler (from Charleston, SC) on January 7, 2008 at 10:43 PM: Really enjoyed the article! I'm going to get my garden cleaned up and ready to plant some in fall of 08. Never thought to underplant with lettuce, spinach, radish, etc. Great idea. I will try that. ... Posted by Sharran (from Calvert City, KY) on January 7, 2008 at 11:32 PM: Great article, Cath.......I love broccoli ...
Subject: exactly the info I needed
Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on January 7, 2008 at 11:41 AM:This is information I was about to start searching for, how nice to have it delivered in such a straightforward way. ... Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on January 7, 2008 at 1:04 PM: Great, Cathy, just great. If only I had some more sun... cut down a tree, you suggest? Grand idea! Broccoli and Cantaloupe were once pronounced the two best fruits/vegetables for you, nutritionally, but I think that was before spouts and wheatgrass juice and all that stuff. xxx, Carrie ... Posted by dryad57 (from Indianapolis, IN) on January 7, 2008 at 1:31 PM: Great article - great timing, fun to read!! ... Posted by Lily_love (from Vincent, AL) on January 7, 2008 at 1:57 PM: Wonderful article, Cathy. I'm so proud to have you joining our Mid-South group all the more.
Kim ...
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