growing broccoli in your garden
Broccoli is one of the most delicious and healthy vegetables we grow in the fall and enjoy in the winter. Although it is a plant for two years, broccoli is grown annually, as well as cauliflower has many common characteristics and a similar cultivation method.
What we eat as "broccoli" is not the fruit of the plant, but it is essentially its flower. In particular, the inflorescences and immature buds of the plant together form the flower head of broccoli, which is 10-15 cm in diameter and is a well-known vegetable that we eat. There are not many requirements for the cultivation of broccoli and we can produce from broccoli even in a pot on the balcony. We will look in detail at what kind of broccoli we choose, as well as tips for enjoying fresh and tasty broccoli for our most beautiful recipes.
1. What kind of broccoli do we choose to grow?
The plant has many local and traditional varieties of broccoli, as well as imported varieties and hybrids with special characteristics. Broccoli varieties are grouped according to the harvest season, the number of broccoli they produce, and the color of the flower head. The basic classification of cultivable broccoli varieties is as follows:
Early varieties of broccoli: Early varieties of broccoli are produced in 2 months and are harvested early even in late autumn.
Late Broccoli Varieties: Late broccoli varieties give yield in 3-4 months and are mainly harvested by farmers in winter.
Single-headed broccoli: Broccoli varieties give only a large central flower head during cultivation. This is especially appreciated by professional farmers due to the large broccoli but concentrated production that reduces the cost of harvesting.
Purple Broccoli: Apart from the classic green broccoli, we can find different types of purple broccoli because the flower head color varies in different shades of purple. Purple-headed varieties resist temperature fluctuations during the growing season
2. What conditions are required to grow broccoli?
Broccoli is a winter plant and needs a cool environment to thrive. The optimum temperature for the head growth of broccoli flowers is 15-20 degrees Celsius. Broccoli grows best in sunny places and gives us fertile produce. If we plant broccoli in a semi-shade condition, ripening will be significantly delayed. As for the soil, broccoli grows well in cool and fertile soils with good drainage, while it does not thrive in highly acidic and alkaline soils. Soil fertility can be improved by adding organic matter adding compost and manure to the soil before planting broccoli.
3. When do we plant broccoli, and at what distance?
Broccoli is planted from early August to late October, depending on the climatic conditions and type of area in which we grow it. To create new broccoli plants from seeds, we need 6-7 weeks until they are transplanted to the final cultivation sites. The optimum temperature for seed germination and plant growth is 20-25 C.
We can, of course, buy ready-made broccoli plants from nurseries or farm stores. Suitable planting distance for broccoli is 70-80 cm in rows and 40-50 cm between plants. When planting broccoli, the soil can be covered with various mulch materials such as wood chips, straw, or pine bark to retain moisture and clean up unwanted grass.
4. How can we plant broccoli in a pot?
Broccoli can be grown in pots on the balcony or in the yard and give us a good production. Since broccoli prefers the sun, we make sure to place the pot in a sunny place facing south or west, for good growth and fruiting. To plant broccoli in a pot, we prefer relatively deep and large pots with a diameter and depth of 25-30 cm. We choose special quality topsoil for vegetables that will ensure good drainage to remove water from the soil. Alternatively, we can create our own planting mix by mixing soil, compost, manure, and perlite over the fluffy garden in a ratio of 6: 2: 1: 1.
5. How often does broccoli require water?
Broccoli needs less water than cauliflower and cabbage in terms of irrigation. Significantly, in the fall, we water 2-3 times a week, depending on the rainfall during this period. For broccoli, we sow in a pot, water only when the soil is dry. It should be noted that in high soil moisture, broccoli is susceptible to rot and fungal infections of the plant. Um. Conversely, when watering broccoli is not enough, the flower head becomes smaller and the quality of the product deteriorates significantly.
6. How many times do we add fertilizer to the broccoli crops?
Growing broccoli has low nutrient requirements and does not require large amounts of fertilizer to achieve good production. When planting broccoli, we recommend adding compost and manure to the soil to grow the plant. During broccoli cultivation, we apply a complete organic fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium once a month. Avoid adding too much nitrogen fertilizer and too much nitrogen contributes to the softening and degradation of the broccoli flower head.
7. What pests and diseases affect broccoli?
Broccoli cultivation has problems like diseases and pests affecting cabbage cultivation and cauliflower cultivation. In particular, the cultivation of broccoli is often affected by the caterpillar of cabbage that eats its leaves. Also, from the pest of Meligra, from the nightshade that blows the flour and stench. For the environmental treatment of pests that affect broccoli, we use organic pesticides that we buy from agricultural stores such as Thuringia bacillus, potassium salts, and natural pyrethrum. Alternatively, for the preventive treatment of pests, we can make an improved recipe with garlic and pepper, as mentioned in detail in the article on the protection of plants with natural ingredients.
Under conditions of high humidity, broccoli cultivation is affected by various fungal diseases, which can cause yellowing or psoriasis of the leaves such as fungi, Alternaria, Fusarium, and Rhizoids. To deal with them, we use organic copper products that we buy from farm stores. Alternatively, for protection against diseases, broccoli leaves can be sprayed with an enhanced solution. One of the main enemies of broccoli cultivation is the snails that eat its leaves. To treat snails in broccoli, place ashes around the plants or use beer in cups we provided on the ground to trap the snails.
8. When is the time to harvest broccoli?
Broccoli is ready for harvest 2-3 months after planting in the field, when the booth heads are tight, they are 9-13 cm in diameter and weigh close to 500 g. In varieties with broccoli, we have a long harvest time of more than 1-2 months, after cutting the middle broccoli, small lateral shoots are formed, which will harvest other small broccoli later.
9. How can we preserve broccoli longer?
To keep broccoli fresh, it is important to cut off part of the central stem along with the flower head and leaves during harvest. Broccoli should be cut in the early morning and then stored in the refrigerator in a nylon bag for several days. If you want to store broccoli for a long time, we follow the following steps: Cut the broccoli into pieces and place it in boiling water for 2 minutes. Let the broccoli dry and return to room temperature. Place the broccoli in the freezer where it can be stored for 12 months.
10. The last secret to growing broccoli
If there is not much space in our garden, broccoli can be planted more densely and can be grown in conjunction with potato cultivation, onion cultivation, garlic cultivation, league cultivation, dill cultivation, and fennel cultivation. Co-cultivation of vegetables not only saves space but also helps to make better use of water from plant roots, soil nutrients, and the fertilizer we add.
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