Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Planting Broccoli Seeds
• Method 2 of 4: Planting seedlings indoors
• Method 3 of 4: Taking Care of Broccoli
• Method 4 of 4: Variety Selection
• Tips
• Warnings

Broccoli is a delicious member of the cabbage family, chock-full of healthy vitamins. It is one of the easiest cabbage family to care for and requires minimal maintenance throughout the growing cycle. Broccoli is a unique crop because it can produce two crops a year (one in the fall and one in the summer) depending on when you plant it. Choose an area where there is a lot of sun and there is fertile soil, and start planting today!

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Planting Broccoli Seeds

1. 1 Check soil pH. Broccoli prefers soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. You can test the soil and add various nutrients to regulate its acidity. Remember to check the soil periodically throughout the growing process.
   • If the pH is less than 6.0, add acidic fertilizer or planting mix.
   • If the pH is over 7.0, then it must be mixed with granular sulfur.
2. 2 Make sure the soil absorbs water well and is very fertile. If the soil doesn't meet any of these conditions, there are several things you can do to prepare your broccoli planting site.
   • If the site is susceptible to flooding, build a fence to raise the ground level. If possible, use cedar wood to build a fence, as it will not rot on contact with water.
   • To increase soil fertility, stir in up to 10 centimeters of rotted compost into it. If the soil is in very poor condition, a high nitrogenous organic fertilizer should be added to enrich the soil.
   • Organic fertilizers such as alfalfa, cottonseed meal and manure work very well for broccoli.
3. 3 Choose an area with lots of sun. Although broccoli prefers a lot of sun, it will withstand a little shade.
4. 4 Sow seeds outdoors. For a summer harvest, you need to sow the seeds two to three weeks before the last spring frost. For the fall harvest, the seeds must be sown 85-100 days before the first fall frost.
   • You can also sow seeds indoors. If you choose to plant seeds indoors, plant them in peat pots or other small seedling pots. Keep them in a sunny room.
   • To plant seeds indoors, follow the same steps as for planting outdoors.You will only skip thinning, as you can plant the seedlings further apart from the beginning.
5. 5 Dig holes 1–2 cm deep in a row at a distance of 8–15 centimeters from each other. Place a few seeds in each hole and cover with soil.
   • When planting outdoors, use a rake to lightly level the soil over the seed, just be sure not to touch the seed itself.
   • If you are planting in peat pots, then simply press the soil over the seeds with your fingers.
6. 6 Water thoroughly after planting. Soak the soil well, but never leave any puddles, broccoli likes good drainage. If you are planting seeds indoors, use a sprayer to moisten the soil.
7. 7 Regulate soil temperature. If you've planted your seeds outdoors, add organic mulch made from ripe compost, leaves, or bark to keep the soil cool. If you're planting when it's cool outside, use black plastic wrap to warm the soil. You can buy film at your local garden supply store, but any sturdy black plastic from a garden store, such as tarps, will work as well.
8. 8 Thin out your outdoor seedlings. When the outdoor seedlings reach a height of 2-3 centimeters, you will need to break through the plants to allow them to grow further. Remove every other plant to thin out the rows. Leave the healthiest seedlings. This will prevent the broccoli from becoming thickened as it grows.

Method 2 of 4: Planting seedlings indoors

1. 1 Plant the seedlings when they are 10 to 15 centimeters tall. This usually takes about six weeks. Plant growth and development are more important than the germination period.
2. 2 Water the garden bed thoroughly, then start planting. Before planting, make sure you prepare the soil with the methods described above, including fertilizing the soil.
3. 3 Dig holes about 8 centimeters deep and plant the seedlings 30-60 centimeters apart. It is necessary that the soil reaches the level of the base of the first leaves, but does not cover them. Miniature varieties can be planted at a distance of 30 centimeters.
4. 4 Regulate soil temperature. Apply organic mulch from compost, leaves, or bark to keep the soil cool. Use black plastic wrap to warm the soil.
5. 5 Moisten the soil thoroughly after transplanting.

Method 3 of 4: Taking Care of Broccoli

1. 1 Water your broccoli regularly. Plants need to get 30-40 mm. water a week. Broccoli loves moist soil.
   • If you want to be tech-savvy about this, you can use a rain gauge to measure the amount of moisture in the soil.
   • Do not wet the broccoli head when watering. Otherwise, it will become moldy.
   • In extremely hot or dry conditions, increase the amount of water you supply to your plants.
2. 2 Fertilize your plants three weeks after planting. When broccoli begins to form new leaves, use organic nitrogen-rich fertilizers. Fish emulsion is well suited for feeding broccoli. You can continue to fertilize the plants about twice a week until harvest.
3. 3 Do not dig or overturn the soil. Broccoli has very weak roots. If you disturb the soil, you can accidentally break the roots and damage the plant.
   • If weeds grow around the plants, suppress them with mulch. Do not pull them off the ground to avoid breaking the roots.
   • If you don't want to grow with organic fertilizers, you can use a chemical pesticide to remove the weeds without disturbing the broccoli roots.
4. 4 Harvest your broccoli. Cut off the heads when they are dark green and tightly knit. Don't wait for the head to bloom with light green or yellow flowers. Cut off the head where the center shoot ends with a pair of garden shears.
   • See Variety Selection for details to know exactly how long it takes to ripen for specific varieties.
   • Don't break the inflorescences. A clean cut will better stimulate new growth.
   • In the case of a correct cut, stepchildren are formed on the side shoots of broccoli (additional crop).

Method 4 of 4: Variety Selection

1. 1 Choose large-headed varieties if you have enough room to grow them. These varieties have very large heads. These are the most common varieties. They take 50-70 days to mature when planted in the spring, and 65-90 days when planted in the fall. Large-headed varieties include:
   • Arcadia
   • Belstar
   • Munchkin
   • Nutri-Bad
   • Peckman
2. 2 Choose asparagus broccoli for planting in temperate winter climates. Asparagus broccoli is characterized by a loose shape and small head size. It develops best between autumn and spring. It takes 50-70 days to mature when planted in the spring and 65-90 days when planted in the fall. Asparagus broccoli varieties include:
   • Calabrese
   • De Chicco
   • Purple Peacock
   • Purple Asparagus
3. 3 Look for Romanesco broccoli varieties if you have good soil. Romanesco cultivars grow in swirling, conical buds that look very decorative and crunchy when eaten. Romanesco varieties prefer high temperatures and plenty of water. They take 75-90 days to mature when planted in the spring and 85-100 days when planted in the fall. Romanesco varieties include:
   • Natalino
   • Romanesco Italy
   • Veronica
4. 4 Choose broccoli raab to grow broccoli quickly in cool climates. These varieties collect inflorescences that are much richer in taste than other varieties. They only need 40-55 days to mature when planted in the spring and 50-75 days when planted in the fall. Broccoli raab cultivars include:
   • Early Rapini
   • Sessantina Grossa
   • Sorrento
   • Zamboni

Tips

• White and purple asparagus broccoli should be sown in the spring, after the last frost.
• If you transplant the seedlings, say 10 days earlier, the broccoli is less likely to fully mature.
• Broccoli can germinate at 4 ° C.
• Beans, cucumbers, carrots do well on the same plot and make up a great broccoli company.
• Keep in mind that if you live in warm climates, it is best to plant broccoli seedlings in the fall.

Warnings

• Broccoli is susceptible to attack by cabbage worms and moths. Examine broccoli carefully every day to remove parasites. This is often enough to keep pests away. You can also grow covered plants or chemically kill pests with BTX, Rotenone, or Feverfew.
• Cabbage bugs and locusts are very fond of eating broccoli in summer.