Broccoli is a cool season crop and you can easily grow it from seed. Once the seed has germinated and the seedlings are around 4 weeks old it will take around 7 – 12 weeks to grow the broccoli to its full size, depending on variety.
The best way to grow Broccoli in the home garden is by sowing the seeds into individual puniest or pots as this makes transplanting easy.
Sow the seeds in late summer or in spring after the danger of frost is over. In warmer climates it can be grown through winter.
The seeds can be plated into a seed raising mix or normal potting mix.
Two seeds per punnet or pot will ensure good germination rates.
You can also grow Broccoli from commercially grown seedlings, however you will not have access to the same vriety and this is amore expensive method.
How to Grow Broccoli from Seeds
- Sift a little the potting mix onto the top of the soil.
- Place the seeds on top of this finer layer.
- Mist spray.
- Sift a little more of the potting mix over the top of the seeds
- Mist spray again.
- Keep the seeds in a sheltered position with good light.
- Mist spray the seeds regularly until they germinate (usually around 7 – 10 days)
- Keep the seedlings moist and grow them on on the containers for 4 – 6 weeks
The seedlings are now ready to plant into the garden at around 12inches (30cm) apart, Up to 20 inches (50cm) for larger growing varieties.
Fertilising Broccoli.
This is gross feeding plant, apply good amounts of Blood and Bone for good growth. A handful around the base of each plant every 6 – 8 weeks is usually enough.
Sulphate of ammonia is widely used for fertilising Broccoli, it provides easy access to large amounts of nitrogen which is what makes Brassicas (Broccoli is a brassica) thrive.
Harvesting Broccoli
You can harvest the varieties that produce smaller shoots as soon as the are large enough.
The larger growing types such as Waltham, will also produce side shoots as well as the main head, again the side shoots can be harvested as soon as they are large enough.
Broccoli Varieties
- Waltham – Large green heads on a traditional type.
- Romanesco – Large pale green heads.
- Purple Sprouting – Will create head however also lots of side shoots which can be pick as soon as they become large enough.
- Spigariello Liscia – A leaf broccoli used widely in Southern Italy. Steam or braise the leaves, use them in soups or stir fries.
- Spring Raab – Again grown as a leaf broccoli however with lots of small green heads with a slightly different taste, more like Kale, however they are more tender than Kale. Again popular in Southern Italy. Best planted in late winter to spring.
- Di Cicco Early – Bluish green heads with lots of side shoots that be harvested as soon as they are large enough.
- Chinese Broccoli – Usually leaf types with small florets such as Jade or Kailaan. Long stems with upright growth, used widely in stir fries.