Broccoli
Broccoli is sometimes called the luxury crop because it's
so easy to grow but has a million dollar taste. By planting several varieties
that have a sequence of maturity dates you can have a continual harvest through
late Fall and even overwinter into spring.
Culture
When ranked with the rest of the cole crops, broccoli is generally the most vigorous and trouble free. Best started as transplants 6 weeks before last frost or direct seeded, about 1/2 inch deep, from April through mid-July. July sowing of Purple Sprouting and late-maturing varieties will yield harvests in the late Fall and overwinter west of the Cascades. Broccoli is a moderate feeder so an application of 1/4 - 1/2 cup of a complete organic fertilizer worked into the soil under each transplant is necessary for best results. Avoid excessive nitrogen as it will contribute to hollow stem. Transplant or thin to a spacing of not less than 18 inches. Cole crops are generally more tolerant of acid soils but liming to a pH of 6.0 - 6.8 will make the best use of the available nutrients. Side dress overwintering types in February with 1/8 cup organic fertilizer per plant.
Insects
Flea beetles are generally the most troublesome, chewing tiny pinholes in the leaves. Rotenone or pyrethrin sprayed every two days will keep the beetle population knocked down and allow the plant to outgrow any damage. To control cabbage maggots, aphids, and symphylans see cabbage, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.
Disease
The home gardener growing broccoli can prevent viral and fungal disease by practicing long crop rotations, using sterile starting mixes if transplanting, and general sanitation procedures.
Harvest
Before flower buds open, cut central head. Side shoots will form the axillary buds and should be cut regularly to encourage production.
Broccoli types
- Shogun
- 102 days from planting to harvest. 10 days later than BR183. Like Green Valiant, it produces the largest sizes of top quality, tightly budded heads followed by big side shoots. Vigorously growing and cold resistant. Not well adapted to the earliest sowing dates.
- Southern Comet
- 80 days from planting to harvest. Heads are 4 - 6 inches in diameter with a skin so thin and tender, flavor so sweet, this variety is for the garden gourmet and local commercial sales. Good side shoot production.
- Everest
- 80 days from planting to harvest. Everest's beautifully domed, small-beaded, 4-6 inch head matures atop a 22-inch plant. Tolerant to downy mildew, brown bead and head rot.
- Green Valiant
- 92 days from planting to harvest. A week or two later than Southern Comet. Slower growing even in the seedling stage, produces enormous, tightly budded, intense green domed heads as large and almost as dense as cauliflower. The side shoots can be 3 inches in diameter. Thin-skinned, sweet and tender.
- Packman
- 85 days from planting to harvest. An early variety, maturing slightly after Southern Comet but with larger heads! These 26 - 28 inch , dark green plants have large, tight semi-domed heads with good side shoot production. A well proven variety adapted to a wide range of growing conditions. Start in May. If seeded too early they tend to produce smaller heads.
- Spring Raab
- 45 Days from planting to harvest. Known in Italy as Broccolo asparago or asparagus broccoli, this connoisseur's heirloom has delicate, tender buds and stems and makes a pleasing addition to stir-fry or salads. Plant from early spring to late Summer. Small turnip-like leaves with 1 inch flower bud clusters and a flavor reminiscent of sprouting broccoli.
- Purple Sprouting
- 220 days from planting to harvest. Easier to grow than annual broccoli, the extremely cold-hardy biennial plants must overwinter before heading in March/April. 24 - 36 inch tall plants are covered with smallish, very sweet-tasting purple heads which turn green when cooked. Hardy to below 10F, Purple Sprouting is a delicious mainstay of the family spring food supply.
- White Sprouting Late
- 250 days from planting to harvest. Similar to Purple Sprouting, this variety has some cauliflower in its genes. The flowers are creamy white in color and appear a week or two after Purple Sprouting has passed its prime, making a fine succession in spring.
- Minaret
- 102 days from planting to harvest. Minaret wins hands down as the best Romanesco broccoli sort on the market today. It is characterized by an explosion of pointed spiral clusters thrusting from 4 - 5 inch light green heads. An almost cashew-like texture makes an exciting addition to fresh salads and dips. Very uniform growing habit.
- Rosalind
- 60 - 65 days from planting to harvest. An early-maturing (spring sown) purple broccoli with better violet-purple coloration and finer texture than other purples. Adapted to maturing during the heat of Summer, but performs best during cooler Fall weather.
- Umpqua Dark Green
- 100 days from planting to harvest. This impressive new broccoli is a Territorial-funded development. Probably the best open-pollinated variety available today, Umpqua Dark Green's large dark green heads are well-domed, tight-beaded, and very uniform. You'll enjoy the sweet tender flavor and the generous side shoot production.
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