Broccoli

[williethered]

Calabrese is OP and it is one of the best broccoli's for taste. It doesn't have huge (hybrid) heads but it doesn't taste like the ones from the store either.

[silverseeds]

Im going to be trying a purple broccoli this year, which supposedly can overwinter here, I will let everyone know how it goes in the spring and share seeds if it is worth it.

[ottawagardener]

I successfully grow broccoli but my soil is quite sandy and probably lacks nutrients despite my adding lots regularly. I understand that brassicas appreciate a bit of calcium.

The only way I can get descent heads from any kind of broccoli is by starting them around the same time as tomatoes (for me that's 8 weeks before last frost), putting them out under cover around 4 weeks before last frost (this will seem like sacriledge as they aren't supposed to be exposed to temps less than 7C so as to avoid buttoning but maybe their seedling age is appropriate for this kind of treatment. Mine have been snowed on). By undercover I mean, under plastic row cover or in my case under a cloche and then under a coldframe. This might not be practical for you but a floating row cover under a low tunnel should work the same.

By early summer, I have large heads. I don't fertilize but I do add compost, well rotted manure and leaves to the garden. These are mostly oak and maple leaves too but like I said, sandy, sandy, ant-haven soil.

I've not tried cauliflower yet but cabbage works extrememly well using this method too. You could try the super early start, double wrapped method as an experiment and report back to me because I'm curious if it would work for others too.

[dirtsunrain]

I have also had great luck with my broccoli. I have been growing Green Sprouting and Green Goliath, both OP's. My soil is very sandy since I'm on a portage between 2 lakes. It is also very alkaline soil and the weather has been cool this year. Those 3 things seems to be in my favour. That bed was amended with wood ash and composted chicken/steer manure.
I have seeds if anyone wants but my success seems to be in the soil conditions, not the seed.

[ottawagardener]

Sorry for the gigantic pictures.

I can tell you how I get broccoli to head after a couple years of failure. This is for spring broccoli as I haven't tried fall yet. I prefer sprouting broccoli, other sprouting brassica and leaf brassica though my kids love broccoli so I might give it a go some time in the future again.

I start them indoors at the same time as tomatoes, peppers, etc... in March/April. The best head comes from strong growing seedlings. Here they are growing with cabbage.



About 4 weeks later depending on weather, I put them outside under a bottle top cloche but whatever season extender you use would probably work. I also put aluminum foil or a toilet roll around the stem to prevent cutworm. I have had them snowed on and frost on the ground. This is not common practice, btw, as many growers say that if the plant experiences temps under I think it is 7C that they might button or form small premature heads. So far, I haven't seen this but again, it might be the variety I choose. Sometimes, I double wrap if weather is extremely severe so if they are under a coldframe, I put the pop bottle cloche on them for extra protection. A floating row cover would do double duty to protect against pests and provide an enhanced microclimate.



I have sandy loam and topdress with compost and manure. My soil is nuetral. I also tend to plant close.



Result: Good size though not gigantic heads in early summer.



Our spring weather is quite cool so I think that helps a lot. Also the variety I chose was cold hardy, not heat resistant though I can't remember the type now and can't find the package.