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About Broccoli
Broccoli makes a large plant with roots that are both deep and spread wide. The brococli bunch we buy at the grocery store is really an immature flower head. For home growers the initial head of broccoli is only the beginning because after the central head is cut back side shoots will develop that can be harvested for a long time into the summer.
Broccoli is a versatile vegetable in the kitchen as it can be eaten raw or cooked with wonderful flavor and it freezes well. With careful planning you can get several months of of continual harvest. For most families 6 to 10 plants will suffice for a season.
Planning
Broccoli loves cool weather so it is best to consider it for fall harvest, especially if you live in the warmer zones. To time your planting work backward from the average first fall frost date. Most varieties will require 65 to 80 days to reach maturity from transplants to harvest although if you direct sow the plants you will want to allow for another couple weeks.
In very mild weather areas you may even plan a winter harvest of broccoli by planting in the fall.
Choose a spot with good drainage where broccoli and other members of the genus Brassica have not grown for several years. Broccoli enjoys full sun, but if your climate is hot then consider partial shade as a mechanism to help thwart bolting. The area required for growing broccoli does not need to be very large even though the plants themselves will grow fairly large. Three plants to every 2 foot by 3 foot bed space should suffice.
Preparation
Broccoli has a relatively high desire for phosphorus and potassium. Before planting apply 3 to 4 pounds of a 5-10-10 fertilizer to each 100 square foot area. Rake this into the top few inches of soil a couple days before planting.
Calcium is also important to broccoli. You can add crushed limestone to your bed, but keep in mind this will increase the soil pH. The ideal pH for broccoli is a neutral 7.0
Broccoli requires steady moisture so be sure to have enough organic matter in your soil to retain the moisture the plants will crave.
For planting broccoli there are multiple schedules depending on the time of harvest you are after. Seeds should be started indoors in a sunny but cool location six or seven weeks before the last average frost date for your zone. The seedlings may then be set out when they are five to six inches tall at about three weeks before the last expected frost. If you opt to sow your broccoli directly into the garden do this a month or two before last frost if you live in a cooler climate or in the very early spring for a warmer climate.
Usually broccoli is grown from transplanted seedlings. Set newly planted transplants about two inches deeper into the garden bed soil than they were in their flats. Water them liberally and pat the soil around their base until it is nice and firm. If there is danger of a hard frost then be certain to protect your plants with a cover.
If you are planting in a bed seedlings can be about 18 inches apart in all directions from one another. If you are planting in rows then they should be spaced 18 inches apart in rows with 2 feet between the rows.
Care
Because broccoli really enjoys moisture a good mulch will help. Make sure the mulch is loose enough to provide adequate drainage for water to get through to your plants. If the soil is getting dry then do not be afraid to give your plants a nice soaking. Water well throughout the season but avoid sprinklers or other overhead watering when the heads are maturing as this may promote disease. A soaker hose or drip irrigation is best.
Pests / Disease
Young Broccoli are often the targets of cutworms. These can be foiled by the use of collars. Although we recommend using something as simple as a wax paper or plastic cup with the bottom cut out. We have heard of gardeners using paper towel tubes as well. Whatever you use be sure your collar extends to at least an inch both above and below the soil.
Pest problems vary quite widely depending on where you live. Cabbage worm, aphids, flea beetles and cabbage root maggots are the most common pests to contend with.
Aphids can be removed by spraying them with water which is of course a nice and simple solution. Root maggots can be avoided with the use of tar-paper mats.
Diseases such as black rot and clubroot are best avoided by crop rotation, being sure when you are planning your broccoli garden that no member of the Brassica genus have occupied the same bed within the previous three to four years.
For clubroot you should consider raising your soil pH to 7.0 with lime. Clubroot will turn out amll yellow plants with poorly formed roots.
Harvesting
When the first nice bunch or head has formed in the middle of your plant cut it off at four to seven inches with a sharp knife. New ones will begin to form along the sides of the stalk. If you discontinue picking the broccoli plant will send up yellowish flowers.
Broccoli Varieties
Shop for Broccoli Needs
We recommend this medium weight tar-paper mat available
from Gardens Alive to help prevent root maggots from harming your broccoli:
Weed Barrier Mat - Medium
If you will be planting early and you live in a cooler climate
you may want to consider using a row cover to help protect your broccoli
in case of a hard frost. We recommend this row cover from Gardens Alive:
Heavyweight Row Covers
Amazon.com offers many Broccoli
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