The harvest
Broccoli
Botanical name
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae), with long, lobed, grey-green leaves and a large, dense, branching flower head, usually green but sometimes lime-green or purple.
Varieties
Green Sprouting, Waltham, Purple Sprouting, Di Ciccio, Green Magic, Romanesco, Shogun, Summer Green, Broccolini
Planting & care
Broccoli is a cool-season crop that can be sown from late summer to autumn in most areas, except the coldest districts, where it is commonly sown in summer and spring. The seed is best started in punnets in individual cells and transplanted when seedlings are 7–10cm tall. Space plants 35–50cm apart. They like lots of sunshine, although a spot that gets four hours of direct sun is adequate.
Add plenty of compost and well-rotted manure when preparing the soil, as broccoli is a heavy feeder. Keep plants moist, and follow up with an application of organic fertiliser every 6–8 weeks. Like most plants in the cabbage family, broccoli is very susceptible to grub and caterpillar damage, particularly the larvae of cabbage white butterfly. Cover crops with exclusion netting to keep adults from laying their eggs on the foliage, or spray with an organic deterrent such as Dipel. Alternatively, remove the caterpillars and eggs by hand and squash them. Aphids can also be a problem, and you can control these with soap spray.
Harvesting
Depending on the variety and conditions, it takes 10–16 weeks for the central head to be ready for harvesting. Cut it off using a sharp knife. Many varieties produce smaller side-shoots after the main flower head is removed. Continue watering, feeding and picking to enjoy an extended harvest. Turn to page 64 for broccoli recipes.