Broccoli is a subspecies of cauliflower from the cabbage family; it belongs to the most ancient vegetable crops. Even ancient Rome, about two thousand years ago, they knew how to grow broccoli. From this state she was brought to Byzantium, after which she ended up in other countries. Now it is a widespread vegetable throughout the world. Many gardeners would like to get an answer to the question of how to grow broccoli in the garden.
Description
Broccoli is an annual plant with a stalk 60-90 cm high. The vegetable yield is high, its additionally formed heads on the side shoots provide it. The shape of the head of the plant is similar to cauliflower, but its inflorescences are less dense, and the leaves have a corrugated surface.
Types of Broccoli
There are over 200 varieties of this vegetable. The most famous are two: Calabrez and Asparagus, or Italian. The first grade is the most common. Broccoli of this variety has a thick stem and a hard head of dense inflorescences.
In vegetables of the second grade, many stems are formed, which have small heads. The stems of this plant are also edible, their taste resembles asparagus.
In addition, there are other varieties of broccoli.
Early ripe varieties
These varieties include:
- Emperor F1. Differs in high productivity. Heads are dome-shaped, large, have a smooth surface.
- Vitamin. The heads of this grade are green in color and have medium density and size.
- Vyarus. Vegetables of this variety have small heads with excellent taste, gray-green bubbly leaves form a horizontal rosette.
- Corvette F1. It has powerful leaves, a large dense head of gray-green color, is not afraid of adverse weather conditions. It has many lateral inflorescences, it can be frozen.
- Comanches. Very good variety, blooms later than other varieties, is not afraid of low and high temperatures.
- Laser F1. It is characterized by rapid ripening, the heads are dark green, dense.
- Summe King. Great variety, suitable for late cultivation, tolerates heat.
- Tone. It has excellent taste characteristics.
- Tribute F1. The heads are medium in size, suitable for growing in adverse climatic conditions.
Mid-season varieties
The following varieties of broccoli have proven themselves in this category:
- Atlantic. It has a high stem, a powerful rosette of leaves, large heads.
- Balboa F1. This variety is characterized by a large light head, excellent taste.
- Genoa Suitable for tight planting, different domed head with small flower buds.
- Greenbelt. It has large dimensions and a dense head.
- Green Favorite F1. This is an exceptionally high-yielding variety.
- Caesar. A large and dense head of green with a purple hue.
- Arcadia. It has large gray-green heads, tolerates low temperatures, high-yielding.
Late ripening varieties
These varieties are less common. The following varieties are most deserving of attention in this category:
- Lucky F1. A plant with a large head and a very delicate taste.
- Marathon F1. The green head is large in size, has a delicate texture and good taste.
- Continental. It has a large green tuberous head. Great taste.
Beneficial features
Due to its beneficial properties, broccoli has a healing effect on the human body. The use of this vegetable in food helps to eliminate toxins and heavy metals, and also prevents the accumulation of cholesterol, prevents and treats atherosclerosis, diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, gastrointestinal diseases. You can use all the unique properties of the plant, knowing how to grow broccoli in the country.
Broccoli is an excellent antioxidant that can destroy cancer cells. In addition, by including this type of cabbage in the diet , which is capable of producing serotonin in the body, you will notice a significant increase in vitality and mood.
The use of broccoli has a positive effect on visual acuity, and is also beneficial for people with a disease such as cataract, due to the beneficial effect on the lens and retina.
Valuable elements and vitamins present in cabbage have a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland, heart, liver, and duodenum.
Such useful qualities of this vegetable make many think about how to grow broccoli in the garden.
Composition
This cabbage family vegetable is 90% water. In addition, it contains proteins, fiber, fats, carotene, as well as vitamins of group K, PP, U and vitamin C.
Broccoli cabbage is also rich in minerals - zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron. Like other representatives of the cabbage family, this vegetable also contains selenium.
Without even listing all the elements that make up broccoli, we can conclude that it is of great benefit to the human body.
It is not difficult to grow cabbage, even a beginner gardener can do it.
Seed preparation
Before growing broccoli from seeds, they must be prepared by sorting, leaving the largest and most complete.
Before sowing, they need to be warmed up in hot water for at least 15 minutes. After that, the seeds are placed for one minute in cold water, and then soaked for eight hours in a solution of boric acid, potassium permanganate. An ash infusion is also suitable, in which they should be soaked for 5 hours. After that, the seeds are washed and placed in the refrigerator. After such processing, they must be dried and sown.
How to grow broccoli?
Broccoli cabbage is not as demanding on growing conditions as cauliflower. In addition, its resistance to diseases and pests is much higher. But a high yield can only be obtained with careful and deep tillage.
Growing seedlings can be started in mid-spring. Before growing broccoli, you need to prepare the soil. The cultivated non-acidic soil is well suited for cabbage. In order to reduce the acidity of the soil, chalk or lime is added. Prepared soil is poured into a wooden box, leveled and compacted. Then cabbage seeds are planted in it. After five to six weeks, seedlings are planted in open ground. Since the plant is photophilous, it is necessary to choose not shaded places.
Before planting seedlings in the ground, prepare holes, the distance between which should be about 40 cm, between the rows leave about half a meter. Wells are watered with water, then seedlings are planted in them, covered with earth from above and lightly compacted. Previously, mineral fertilizers and ash are added to the wells. Having completed all these simple steps, you will get an excellent broccoli crop.
How to grow seedlings right in the garden? You can start growing cabbage for seedlings in this way in April, covering it with a film. Seedlings of cabbage are not afraid of cold, so it will feel comfortable on the street. In addition, after such hardening, the plant survives better during transplantation and is less susceptible to disease.
How to grow broccoli in a seedlingless way? You can sow cabbage in the ground in May-June to a permanent place. To do this, make holes in which several seeds are put, watered. After the seeds sprout, leave the best seedlings. Harvesting with this method occurs in August-September.
Before growing broccoli in the garden, you need to remember that the bad predecessors for it are cabbage, turnips, radishes. You can plant legumes, potatoes or carrots in place.
Many gardeners who think about how to grow broccoli in Siberia make one major mistake - this is the wrong choice of variety for this region. For example, when choosing a late-ripening variety, the head is laid when it is already cold and freezing begins. In Siberia, it is necessary to plant broccoli of such varieties in heated greenhouses. Then by mid-autumn the plant will have strong heads of large sizes.
Care
To get a good harvest, you need to know how to properly grow broccoli and how to care for it. Broccoli needs regular watering and weeding. In the heat it is necessary to spray it with water. In addition, it is necessary to fertilize the growing cabbage. For the first time, this is done 10 days after planting with a diluted mullein with urea. The next top dressing is done after the fruit sets. Use saltpeter for this. It is more convenient to feed with ready-made fertilizers, which can be purchased at the store. In order for the roots of the plant to have enough oxygen, it is necessary to loosen the soil regularly.
Diseases and Pests
The keel can hit the seedlings of cabbage . To avoid this, do not plant it in the place of turnips, radishes, radishes and other types of cabbage.
Finely crumbled eggshells, which need to be scattered around the plants, will help fight slugs.
You can get rid of the caterpillars by planting marigolds where broccoli is grown. The smell of these plants is not tolerated by pests.
To protect cabbage from cruciferous fleas, ash, pepper, and tobacco are used. But in a hot and dry spring, this is not always effective, in this case you need to cover the plants until they get stronger.
When to harvest?
Harvesting takes place in several stages. First, the central head is cut off with fully formed but closed buds.
In hot weather, it is necessary to collect every two to three days, since high temperature leads to rapid growth and opening of buds. If the weather is cloudy and damp, you can collect cabbage less often - once every 7-10 days.
After cutting off the main inflorescence, the lateral ones begin to develop faster. Cut them off as you grow.
Gather cabbage early in the morning until it wilted in the scorching sun. Harvested in the early summer, is not suitable for long-term storage, so you need to eat cabbage immediately or freeze.
The broccoli, which was collected in October, are stored in the basement or in the refrigerator for two to three months. In addition, when harvesting, there is another important point: plants torn from the root must be left in the garden for a month. A plant that can tolerate frosts, even removed from the ground, will have inflorescences ensured, providing another late harvest.
Seed growing
In order to collect seeds, it is necessary to leave one large inflorescence. It is necessary to look after a plant, to grow up and tie it up for stability.
When the pods turn yellow and the seeds become dark, you can cut the testes. This usually happens in September.
Storage
Store broccoli in the cellar without breaking the outer leaves. If there is no cellar, the vegetable can be stored for a short time in the refrigerator, placed in an open plastic bag. It is not advisable to freeze cabbage, and its taste and benefits are lost.
This vegetable is not demanding in cultivation and care, but it brings many benefits to our body. Therefore, knowledge of how to grow broccoli in the garden will be necessary for those who want to grow it for their own needs.