Broccoli

Broccoli is a favourite for the autumn / winter vegie patch. It can be steamed, boiled, battered, stirfried, steamed with white sauce in side dishes, chopped into florets, boiled in stock or blended into tasty, nourishing soups. Broccoli is also packed with vitamins and freezes well after blanching.

Broccoli likes to grow fast, is a hungry feeder and needs regular watering. So save your rainwater for them and plant them into limed and manured soil to keep them happy and strong. Also watch out for hungry green caterpillars!

Broccoli is ready to harvest in 10-12 weeks from planting so for winter harvest, plant in late summer or EARLY autumn. Yes, we know it seems so early but it needs to be done or you'll have to wait until spring to be eating them.

For spring harvest, plant mid-autumn - early winter. You can also plant again in late winter - early spring for early summer harvest.

Broccoli produces a large central head, followed by smaller side shoots when you harvest the centre. Dwarf Broccoli is also available, the central head is smaller and therefore takes less time to mature. Be aware though that the plant takes up just as much space in the garden. Height 40cm x Width 50cm.

All types of broccoli will produce side shoots but some are specially bred for their superior side-shooting tendencies like Brocolette, Green Sprouting Calabrese (Seed), Purple Sprouting Broccoli (Seed).

Choose a spot to plant in full sun that hasn't had Brassicas (Cauliflower, Cabbage, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts) planted in it the year before. Sprinkle some dolomite or garden lime on top, tip a heap of cow or sheep manure on then dig it all in. Alternatively, just dig in a heap of mushroom compost instead as it already contains lime. Le the soil rest for a week or two if you can, but otherwise, just make sure the manure is blended thoroughly before planting.

Keep well watered, stick your finger in to see if the soil is dry or not. Every 2-3 days in the autumn / winter should be just about right. Liquid feed or side dress with manure or organic fertiliser regularly.

While the weather is mild, the green caterpillars of the white cabbage moth are still out and about. They adore broccoli and can devour seedlings overnight so control this pest by inspecting the undersides of leaves regularly for the little yellow pointed eggs and squash them with your nail onto the leaf. Also, look out for chewed leaves and little dark green 'balls' which is caterpillar poo. That'll help you find the caterpillars, they like to hide along the mid rib on the underside of the leaf. Squash them onto the leaf too, (gently fold the leaf over it and squish, please kill them quickly and thoroughly) this should prevent other caterpillars wanting to eat there. Would you eat food that had squashed people all over it?

As a safe and effective last resort, (as even environmentally friendly sprays should be used with discretion) spray your plants with Dipel or Success, which are both made from a naturally occurring bacteria that's particularly harmful to caterpillars, but safe for other insects and mammals. Wait 3 days after spraying before picking for eating.

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