Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
A Basic Growing Guide
Description
While broccoli may not always steal the garden spotlight, its nutritional benefits are nothing short of impressive. As a member of the cold-hardy cabbage family, broccoli offers a wealth of vitamins A, C, and K, making it a valuable addition to your plate. Freshly harvested broccoli tastes infinitely better than the limp stuff at the store.
Some Common Varieties
Green Magic — a heat tolerant variety that produces smooth, well-domed, uniform heads. Hybrid. 57 days to maturity.
Belstar — good for warmer climates, strong plants create lots of side-shoots. Hybrid. 65 days to maturity.
Di Cicco — an Italian heirloom variety that produces an abundance of small to medium florets. 48 days to maturity.
Burgundy (Purple Sprouting) — Purple buds on green stems! Produces many small slender, side shoots. Hybrid. 37 days to maturity.
Broccoli Through The Season
Planting Instructions
Light Requirements
Broccoli needs fun sun, 8 or more hours is best.
When
Plant in early spring or late summer for fall harvests.
Seed or Transplant?
Either way! Start seeds indoors or plant directly into the garden outside.
Depth
Plant seeds 1/8 inch deep.
Spacing
1-2 feet apart. For our “intensively” planted gardens, we use 1 foot spacing.
Growth Habit
Broccoli grows on a large upright plant. It should not need support but can sometimes be toppled by a strong wind.
Tending
Watering
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Common Pests and Treatments
Aphids -- sprays bugs off with water
Cabbage loopers or cabbage worms -- spray entire plants with BT (thuricide) once a week
Common Diseases and How to Treat
Downy mildew
Blackrot
Learn more about preventing and treating common plant diseases in Tennessee
Broccoli doesn't tend to suffer from much disease in Tennessee. To keep it that way, prune off lower leaves if any are touching soil, and avoid working in wet soil. If your plants suffer from disease, then next year, plant a variety that has a resistance to that disease, rotating crops to a different area of the garden.
Feeding/Fertilizing
Apply a balanced organic fertilizer every 3-4 weeks, such as GardenTone.
Pruning
Usually not needed. Remove yellow and/or a few lower leaves to prevent disease. Removing side shoots will encourage once large head, while harvesting a small central head, will create more side-shoots for continued harvest.
Harvesting
When
Harvest when the head is firm and tight, before the flowers open.
How
Cut the central head at the base with a sharp knife.
Then What?
After harvesting the main head, smaller side heads will often form. These can also be harvested. When production slows, remove the entire plant and put something new in its place. The video below shows how to harvest the side shoots.
