How to Grow Broccoli Plants
Broccoli is a tasty and nutritious cool weather crop. It isvery popular in
home gardens. It is a member of the mustard family, and was originally cultivated
from wild cabbage. Like other members of the mustard family, broccoli
has a strong, distinct flavor.
Medical studies show that the Broccoli plant is beneficial to your health.
The studies suggest that they help to guard against cancer, especially colon
and rectal cancers.
In addition to all of the other benefits of Broccoli, it is low in calories.
Did you Know? One U.S. President openly proclaimed his distaste for
Broccoli. While he made a seemingly innocent statement of his food preferences,
it created quite a stir. Who is the President? If you guessed George Bush(the
first George), you are correct.
Days to Maturity:
Plants form a large head in about 85 - 90 days. After picking the primary
head, most varieties will produce secondary shoots with much smaller heads
all season long. They can be harvested well after the first frost.
How to Grow Broccoli Plants:
Broccoli is a cool weather crop. The plants prefes full sun, and a rich garden
soil. It grows best in the spring and fall. Fall crops will survive long
after the first frost, and even after the first snowfall. Flavor is best
in cool and cold weather.
Ideal soil pH is 6.0 - 7.0. See:
Soil pH levels
Sow Broccoli seeds as early as the ground can be worked. We recommend an
early indoor start 3-4 weeks before the last frost. As soon as the garden
is ready for planting, transplant seedlings. Spring frosts will not affect
them.
When growing broccoli, keep soil moist during the growing season. Fertilize
with a general purpose fertilizer every 3-4 weeks.
Harvest compact heads before they begin to flower. As soon as the first floret
begins to open, broccoli loses its sweet flavor and becomes bitter. Harvest
side shoots in the same manner.
Broccoli grows slowly in hot weather. It forms few heads during this period.
Most home gardeners avoid growing broccoli during the hot humid months of
summer. Once the weathe cools in the fall, the plants produces smaller florets
more vigorously.
Insects and Pests:
Broccoli is extremely susceptible to insects. The most common insect
problems are are aphids, and cabbage loopers.
Cabbage loopers are the larva stage of a moth. Those white moths that visit
your garden and yard are the culprits. Some people call them white butterflies.
Try placing a screen or insect netting over the plant, so the moth can not
lay her eggs. Commercial growers apply insecticides to control them.
Aphids are controlled by frequent spraying. Organic controls in the form
of soap or garlic sprays are also effective.
Disease:
Broccoli plants are fairly resistant to most plant diseases.
More on Plant Problems
Hardiness:
Broccoli thrives in cool and even cold weather. It can be among the first
plants in your garden each spring. Start them indoors, and plant them before
the last frost, freeze or snow. They will survive below thirty degrees. In
the fall, they will be your last crops to survive the increasingly frequent
frosts.
Garden Broccoli Recipes: May we suggest:
Buy
Broccoli Seeds and Vegetable Seeds Lowest prices anywher, onlne or
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their famous "guarantee to grow".
Pest
Netting - Keep rabbits, deer, and other foraging animals out!
More
on Growing Broccoli
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