Growing broccoli is both fun and satisfying. It’s a nutritious vegetable, part of the cabbage family. You can harvest its purple or white buds from mid-summer to spring. Some types even let you enjoy them through the winter.
Broccoli keeps giving tasty florets for up to two months. It’s known as a winter crop, but new kinds are available for summer too.
Broccoli should be grown with other cabbages. It shares the same pests and diseases. In this guide, you’ll learn everything about growing broccoli. From finding the right spot to controlling pests and harvesting, we’ll cover it all. This guide is perfect for both experienced growers and those just starting with vegetables.
Key Takeaways
- Broccoli is a member of the brassica family, producing delicious, nutritious and easy-to-grow florets
- It can be grown as a traditional winter/early spring crop or in newer varieties that offer summer harvests
- Broccoli should be grown in crop rotations with other brassicas and requires protection from pests and diseases
- Careful site selection, soil preparation and cultivation techniques are key to successful broccoli growing
- This guide covers all the essential information for growing broccoli in your vegetable garden
Introduction to Broccoli: A Nutritional Powerhouse
In a gardening context, broccoli (or sprouting broccoli) are plants that produce small clusters of purple or white buds on the tips of long, leafy stems. The term broccoli means ‘small shoots’ in Italian. Calabrese, on the other hand, produces a large central green head (that’s confusingly called broccoli in supermarkets and recipes). Broccoli is a brassica, so it is closely related to cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi.
Nutritional Benefits of Broccoli
Broccoli is rich in vitamins and minerals as well as a good source of Vitamin A, potassium, folic acid, iron, and fibre. This makes it a true nutritional powerhouse.
Types of Broccoli Varieties
There are many broccoli varieties to choose from, for sowing and harvesting at different times. Traditional varieties are slow growing and hardy, sown in spring or early summer and forming large plants that crop in winter and the following spring. Newer, smaller, faster-growing varieties are available for harvesting from mid-summer to late autumn.
Site Selection and Soil Preparation
Finding the right spot and preparing the soil well are key for successful broccoli growth. Broccoli likes soil that is firm, fertile, and drains well. It does best in sunny or lightly shaded spots.
Choosing the Right Location
Since broccoli plants grow tall, they need a sheltered area to protect them from strong winds. Also, avoid places that stay soggy, especially for winter varieties. Too much water can harm them.
Preparing the Soil for Broccoli
Start by clearing the area of weeds. Then, mix in two buckets of well-rotted manure or compost for every square metre. This step enriches the soil, giving your broccoli the nutrients it needs.
Soil pH Requirements
If your soil is very acidic, add lime the winter before planting to raise the pH. This prevents clubroot disease, which can harm broccoli. Broccoli grows best in soil with a pH from 6 to 7.
Adding a high potassium fertiliser like Vitax Q4 improves the soil even more. Use one and a half handfuls per square metre if you’ve already added manure. For soil with no compost, use three handfuls instead.
Growing Broccoli
Timing is vital when growing broccoli. You can start sowing broccoli seeds from March to June. Do it indoors early or outside a bit later.
Sow in small amounts over a few weeks. This way, you’ll get fresh broccoli for a long time.
When to Plant Broccoli
For spring, start indoors or out, a bit before the last frost. Indoors, plant seeds 6 to 8 weeks early. Outdoors, plant 2 to 3 weeks early, or as soon as the soil thaws.
In the fall, plant seeds outside 85 to 100 days before the first frost.
Starting Broccoli from Seeds
You can start broccoli seeds indoors or outdoors. The key is to plant at the right time. This ensures you have plenty of fresh broccoli all season.
Transplanting Broccoli Seedlings
When your broccoli seedlings are big enough, it’s time to move them. Plant them deeper than they were in their pots. Make sure the lowest leaves are at the ground. This helps them grow strong roots.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Plant broccoli at least 60–80cm (24–30in) apart. Rows should also be this far from each other. This spacing lets broccoli grow well and not fight for air.
Caring for Broccoli Plants
Caring for your broccoli plants is crucial for a good harvest. Key tips include regular watering, mulching, and fertilising.
Watering Broccoli Plants
Broccoli needs consistent watering, especially as it grows. Young plants should be watered often. But after they’re grown, water them only every two weeks if it hasn’t rained. This keeps them healthy and stops them from growing flowers too early.
Remember, water carefully in the cold if you’ve got winter broccoli. Too much water when it’s cold can harm them.
Mulching Broccoli Plants
Putting a thick layer of mulch, like compost, around your broccoli can help a lot. It keeps moisture in the soil, so you don’t need to water as often. It also stops many weeds from growing, so you don’t have to weed by hand as much.
Fertilising Broccoli Plants
Using the right fertiliser can boost your broccoli’s growth. After three weeks in their spot, feed them with a low-nitrogen mix (like 5-10-10). This gives them what they need to grow well without too many leaves and not enough broccoli.
Pests and Diseases
Being a keen gardener, I understand the troubles that come with broccoli growing. This vegetable is often affected by many pests and illnesses. They can really hurt your harvest if you’re not careful. However, with the right steps, you can protect your broccoli and enjoy a great harvest.
Common Pests Affecting Broccoli
I’ve faced a big problem with caterpillars from white butterflies. They eat through the leaves and sometimes get inside the plant. This can cause a lot of harm. I suggest checking often and removing any caterpillars by hand. Using a net can also stop them from getting to your plants.
There’s also the cabbage root fly, with larvae that harm the roots. It stops the broccoli from growing well. To keep them away, try to make the soil drain better and add lime to it.
Diseases that Affect Broccoli
One tough disease is clubroot, which makes the roots swell. It’s not good for the plant. You can fight this by keeping the soil’s pH high. Good drainage and adding lime can help with this sickness.
Organic Pest and Disease Control Methods
I like to use natural ways to protect my broccoli. Plants like nasturtiums can ward off pests. You can also use insecticidal soap or a natural pesticide called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). These can help a lot against pests and diseases.
By being alert and using natural solutions, I’ve tackled the usual problems with growing broccoli. This approach has helped me have a good amount of healthy broccoli each year.
Harvesting Broccoli
Harvesting broccoli at the right time is key. This makes sure it’s full of taste and healthy. I pick mine in the morning, before the buds open. Once you see yellow petals, it’s gone too far.
When to Harvest Broccoli
To pick broccoli, cut it from the stem with at least 6 inches left. Cut the stalk at an angle. Then, keep caring for the plant for more harvests. Broccoli plants can give more heads for weeks, even months.
Harvesting Techniques
Always use a sharp knife or scissors to cut your broccoli. A clean cut is better for the plant’s health. Tearing the heads can hurt the plant, so avoid it.
Storing Broccoli After Harvest
Keep your fresh broccoli in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also blanch and freeze it for a year. This keeps the taste and nutrients safely locked in.
Growing Broccoli
Recommended Broccoli Varieties for the UK
Look for broccoli with an RHS Award of Garden Merit for the best results. These varieties did very well in tests. Best broccoli varieties for the UK include ‘Green Magic’ and ‘Brokali Apollo’. ‘Green Magic’ grows early, tastes great, and resists rust. ‘Brokali Apollo’ is a mix of broccoli and Chinese kale, offering delicious and soft stems.
‘Early White Sprouting’ has a mild taste while ‘Early Purple Sprouting’ is rich and has edible leaves. Finally, ‘Belstar’ features small, tasty heads and produces many side shoots.
Tips for Successful Broccoli Cultivation
To grow thriving broccoli, ward off pests and disease, ensure good airflow, and keep the soil moist. Rotate your crops to maintain healthy soil. These steps help your broccoli grow strong and healthy.
Companion Planting for Broccoli
Being a keen gardener, I’ve found that planting certain plants next to my broccoli really helps. It keeps pests away, makes the soil better, and helps my broccoli grow more.
Benefits of Companion Planting
Companion planting means growing different plants close together. This way can help broccoli in lots of ways. Some plants keep pests like cabbage white butterfly caterpillars away. Others make the soil healthier by adding nitrogen or by attracting insects that eat broccoli pests.
Best Companion Plants for Broccoli
For my broccoli, I’ve seen that nasturtiums, thyme, and other native plants are great. Nasturtiums can pull cabbage white butterfly caterpillars away from the broccoli. Thyme helps keep cabbageworms off. Including these plants in how I grow my broccoli has made my harvests better each year.
